Guyana Times Daily - January 5, 2015

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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 2364

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, January 5, 2015

Burnhamite era ex-soldiers back militarised politics Page 3

... ignore articulated "clear and present" danger

Kaieteur News bribes Police for scoops – Rohee

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

140 cases completed during 2014 P7 – DPP

Page 2

Dynamic Airways introduces Guyanese flight attendants Page 13

2 remain P7 critical after deadly Sophia blaze Security Guard found dead on workplace's P9 fence

Coalition negotiations...

AFC to APNU: Secret talks or no talks P10 Elections 2015...

Newly-trained flight attendants of Dynamic Airways walk off the Cheddi Jagan International Airport tarmac shortly before they were officially introduced to members of the media at a news conference (Carl Croker photo)

Jagdeo urges peaceful, credible elections in Sri Lanka Page 8

Alleged robber shot dead

by Police Page 13

APNU yet to discuss P12 Granger’s running mate

2 news Kaieteur News bribes Police for scoops – Rohee monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee

H

ome Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has confirmed what has been rumoured over the years that the Glenn Lallowned Kaieteur News pays “enormous sums” for leaks from the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Rohee was at the time giving a review of his sector last Wednesday. The Guyana Press Association (GPA) and other media bodies internationally have often warned against the unethical practice of media houses pay-

ing for information. The Kaieteur News has often criticised Police ranks for accepting bribes from ordinary citizens, to drop court cases and neglect to follow up investigations.

Rohee told the gathering at the yearend review that save for the cases of Police misconduct, an increase in disorderly murders principally caused by domestic violence, gun-related crimes and road fatalities which have undermined the public’s trust in policing, last year was an uneventful and relatively successful year for law enforcement agencies.

He noted that peace and good order “in our society has prevailed. And the safety and security of the general population has improved significantly.”

He acknowledged that there will be critics and cynics nonetheless, “not to mention prophets of doom and gloom who have well established themselves through their writings in the print media criticising the Ministry of Home Affairs and the law en-

Nine, for their part, play the role of parroting what “Dem Boys Seh” about developments in the security sector.

And iNews and Demerara Waves compete and jostle with each other in and out of Guyana to paint the gloomiest and crime ridden picture of the situation in Guyana.”

Sensationalising

Kaieteur News Publisher Glenn Lall

forcement agencies” .

In this regard, Rohee said sections of media, particularly the Kaieteur News, Stabroek News, Channels Seven and Nine, Demerara Waves, and iNews must be mentioned. “The Kaieteur News while pretending to be “a friend” of the Police pays enormous sums for leaks, while the Stabroek News is always on the lookout for potential “stellar performance” awardees, but never ever finding any in the security sector. Channels Seven and

“I mention these facts, not because the crime situation in our country must be hidden; in any event, the Police themselves publish, on a monthly basis, statistics on crime and traffic, etc. It is the sensationalising and the front-paging of these stories 365 days each year and the view that since such a practice hurt the operatives in the security sector, most of the media houses mentioned earlier consider it their duty to do more of it, moreso since it reaps huge profits,” he stated.

The Minister said the end result of this is “we have in our country deeply prejudiced and profit-driven media houses who for their own selfish interests view the

Kaieteur News Editor Adam Harris

Security Sector as a “golden goose” whose droppings must be exploited fully”.

Reforms

Turning his attention to the reforms within the GPF, Rohee said the current reforms were aimed at helping the Force speed up the dispensation justice by trusting their professional discretion and helping them to focus on their real purpose of crime-fighting.

“In the fight against crime, we cannot stand still; were we to do so, the criminals will move ahead of us.

We always need to do better,

thus Government’s Reform Plans for the GPF will continue and continue apace.

“To the hierarchy of the GPF, I say this, the lessons drawn from ingenuity and innovation boil down to the following: it does not matter how good you are, you can always do better and ultimately, it doesn’t matter how better you become, you can always strive to be the best.

“As regards the role and place of the Police, we in the PPP/C [People’s Progressive Party/Civic]Government sees things differently from our predecessors now represented in the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity] cum PNC [People’s National Congress].

“Whereas, they issued edicts and set targets, we encourage the Police to use their expertise to solve the problems they face on a daily basis.

“Our role is to set the strategic agenda, and to ensure we support the Police in reducing crime. Ultimately, it is for the Commissioner of Police (ag); the Crime Chief; and the subordinate ranks to determine how best to achieve this goal, not Ministers nor Public Servants.”

Timber production continues to be low – despite concerns over deforestation

Guyana is currently struggling with the issue of underproduction

G

uyana is still struggling to correct the issue of underproduction of timber despite the fact that 85 per cent of the nation’s landmass is covered by rainforest.

This was revealed as Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud explained that the perception of large -scale deforestation is a “total case of misunderstanding”.

According to a report from the Government Information Agency (GINA), Persaud said: “The increased production of just above 40 per cent over 2013-2014 is heartening.”

He added that the monitoring, reporting and verification systems point to a monitoring and enforcement regime that is well below in terms of the rate of deforestation.

Head of the Guyana Forestry Commission James Singh had previously noted that Guyana has a large scope for more harvesting to take place. Singh stated that Guyana used up only 35 per cent of its annual allowable

cut which reflected negatively on production.

“The gap in production obviously prevents a huge opportunity for an increase in legally and sustainable harvesting of produce from Guyana to flow to higher-end markets,” Singh said.

He noted that Guyana has potential to harvest approximately 1.2 million cubic metres per year, but is trailing that figure by 500,000 cubic metres.

He pointed out that the main reason stakeholders do not increase timber production is because of financial burdens.

However, in November 2014, Singh stated that continual stakeholder meetings are being held to develop initiatives to address the issue.

Meanwhile, the Minister noted that persons would usually complain of the unavailability of low-cost machinery and equipment that could facilitate the expansion of their logging operations.

Efforts to contact the Ministry to find out how it intended to address this issue in 2015 proved futile.

NEWS

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, January 5 – 05:00h-06:30h and Tuesday, January 6 –05:00h-06:30h The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, January 5 – 16:15h-17:45h and Tuesday, January 6 – 05:15-06:45

FERRY SCHEDULE

The Management of the Transport and Harbour Department wishes to notify the general public that vessels operating the Parika/Supenaam services will no longer be operating according to tidal conditions.

The new daily schedules are as follows: Parika departure – 06:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h Supenaam departure – 06:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions interspersed with thundery showers and rain showers can be expected during the day. Thundery showers return in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly between 3.57 metres and 6.25 metres per second.

High Tide: 04:16h and 16:38h reaching maximum heights of 2.50 metres and 2.64 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:12h and 22:38h reaching minimum heights of 0.71 metre and 0.58 metre respectively.

Burnhamite era ex-soldiers back militarised politics ... ignore articulated "clear and present" danger

S

everal Army veterans and other ex-servicemen believe the military and ex-military personnel should get involved in politics here – something which commentators say might be a reflection of their earlier indoctrination by the late President Forbes Burnham who had often used the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to enforce his political dominance.

Although several exservicemen became actively involved in politics in the United States – notably General Dwight Eisenhower and Captain John Mc Cain, they were more the exception than the rule in politics in the Anglo-Saxon political culture to which Guyana belongs.

However after launching the GDF (1965) and several militarised organisations such as the Guyana National Service and the Peoples

The above-normal high tide advisory is in effect until January 9.

Opposition Leader David Granger

saturday, january 3, 2015

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Militia, in 1976, Burnham explicitly rejected the "professional Army" doctrine fostered by the British.

Unlike the British, he demanded that all members of the Disciplined Forces become involved in politics and formed a unit headed by present leader of the Opposition David Granger and Presidential Assistant Elvin McDavid to educate members of the Disciplined Forces about the new policy.

Disturbing

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Two retired officers Steve Corbett and Michael Davidson in an article back in 2010 warned that endorsements by retired servicemen of political parties is a disturbing movement that will only exacerbate the gradual decline of the military’s political neutrality.

The issue of ex-soldiers involvement in local politics was

raised a couple of weeks ago

by Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Secretary of the Defence Board, Dr Roger Luncheon who said it would be dangerous to have a “military-dominated” Opposition.

Dr. Luncheon said if it was up to him he would make it constitutionally impossible for former military personnel to join political parties shortly after demitting office. A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) and the People’s National Congress (PNC) are currently being headed by Retired Brigadier David Granger. In their camps are several other top commanders of the GDF and the Guyana Police Force, including former Police Commissioner Winston Felix (MP) and ex-GDF officer Joseph Harmon (MP).

Speaking on the sidelines of a luncheon at Duke Lodge last Tuesday, veteran officer of the Guyana Veterans Legion Beverly Somerset said a military-led Government would serve the nation well.

She said with their level of training and expertise, exmilitary officers would be able to make key decisions that would be able to move the country forward especially in the area of crime and security.

“We are the people with the experience, we form the foundation. With our experience we would be better able to make decisions,” she said during an interview with Guyana Times. “In the case of an emergency, especially in our border locations, we would be able to handle those problems effectively even if we have to call on our reserve,” she added.

Colonel (Rtd) Carl Morgan weighing in on the subject explained that ex-soldiers are regular civilian citizens and have the right to join politics like any other person.

He pointed out that there are persons of other professions who get into politics and are not being questioned.

Asked about concerns raised over the fact that these for military personnel having access to sensitive and critical information on national security and can use it for political gamesmanship, he clarified that military men should be wise enough not to endanger the country or its people, whom they had taken vows to protect.

Another veteran Kenneth Gittens said servicemen and women should be allowed to serve in any sector long after

they would have retired. If the opportunity avails itself, Gittens said ranks should be able to capitalize.

But given the nature of politics, the 90-year-old veteran made it clear that if he was given a second chance, he would play no part in politics.

He explained that soldiers are trained to serve and protect the populace while maintaining a high level of integrity, but according to him politics do not allow for this.

“Politicians say one thing, they promise you a lot but when they get into office, it is another story,” he said. But other veterans were pellucid when they said former members of the GDF and Guyana Police Force should stay clear of politics. Earl Roberts said ex-soldiers should offer their expertise in other areas besides politics.

Army shift

In a study on Guyana by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Programme sponsored by the Department of the Army it was noted that until 1969 the GDF observed British military ethics, which held that the armed forces should be loyal to the "Government of the day" and not otherwise involved in politics.

According to the study beginning in 1973, the PNC regularly used the GDF to help it win every national election, noting that because of irregularities in previous elections, the opposition parties had argued that the ballots be counted in each electoral district for the 1973 general election.

However, the PNC insisted that ballot boxes be taken to three designated counting centers. The study pointed out that as occurred in the 1968 elections, Opposition members were not allowed to accompany the ballot boxes to the counting centers and on July 16, 1973, election day, GDF personnel shot and killed two People’s Progressive Party (PPP) members as they protested the removal of ballot boxes from a polling station.

The study noted that throughout the country, the GDF and Police were quick to resort to force when removing ballot boxes from the electoral districts.

Additionally, the study noted that at the PNC's first biennial congress in 1974, the GDF was required to

pledge its allegiance to the PNC – something which has come out at the ongoing Dr Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry.

The study confirmed that during the 1970s and 1980s, GDF soldiers routinely received political indoctrination. It said the PNC's increasing politicisation and subordination of the GDF disturbed many members of the officer corps and when some expressed a desire for military neutrality, PNC informants in the armed forces alerted Burnham to the dissension within the GDF. In August 1979, the study documented that Colonel Ulric Pilgrim, the Operational Force Commander, and Colonel Carl Morgan, a Battalion Commander, were dismissed. Pilgrim and Morgan had been two of the most popular officers in the GDF.

APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon

Burnham, the study said appointed “a PNC loyalist, Colonel Granger, commander of the GDF”. To extend his influence further, Burnham also replaced the AArmy Chief of Staff Brigadier General Clarence Price with “a Burnham loyalist who had been a civilian Police Officer”.

According to the study, the appointment of Norman McLean, a former Traffic Chief, shocked and enraged many GDF officers.

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

Views Editor: Nigel Williams Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134 Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Religion for peace T

oday is a Public Holiday – Youman Nabi – which commemorates the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of the Islamic religion.

It is a mark of the enlightened approach that Guyanese have to the peaceful co-existence of religions that even though Muslims constitute possibly only ten percent of Guyana's population, their major festivals receive equal public observation with those of the other major religions Hinduism and Christianity.

In today's world, religion has unfortunately become a source of conflict more than a source of peace. In this regard, Guyana, small as it is, has a lot to offer the world.

Much of the tension among religious adherents arises out of not necessarily the making of exclusivistic claims that raise hackles in the followers of other religions, but in the insistence of some to act on those claims by proselytising among the latter groups.

From this perspective, Islam in Guyana has the most to offer to peaceful coexistence. Islam does announce that it presents the only path to God (specifically "Allah") and salvation. In this way it is exclusivist. But in Guyana, the Muslims have never gone out to "convert" anyone through proselytising activities that include denunciations of the beliefs and the practices of other religions.

Yet, the Muslim population has steadily increased through the years, not only through a higher birth rate, but through others accepting the tenets of Islam on their own.

How was this achieved?

The major reason is that Muslims are exhorted not only to have abstract beliefs, but to concretely practice the tenets of the religion as expounded in the Quran. Actions are as important as beliefs.

What makes the actions easier to inculcate is that following the Quran, the life of the Prophet Muhammad as outlined in the "Hadith" is most authoritative exposition of what behaviour constitutes a Muslim. If one is told to be "kind", then there are the countless examples of kindness performed by the Prophet. Sacrifice? Here again, look to what the Prophet did in similar circumstances.

So in Guyana, we have the living experience of Muslims giving charity to others, taking care of their bereaved and generally striving to live as one big family. The "anomie" or "alienation" that so many complain about in the modern world has to be less in the Muslim community because of the conscious cultivation of the network of relationships that create strong communities. Others in the wider society see living cohesiveness and are attracted to the religion.

In Guyana, the racial divisions have been the bane of our quest for a more peaceful life. When the ancestors of African-Guyanese were brought as slaves starting in the 17th century, there were a significant number of Muslims among their midst.

The term "Fulaman", which is colloquially applied in the present to Muslims is thought to have been derived from "Fulani", an African people who were among the first in that continent to practice Islam.

However, by the end of slavery, Islam as a living religion has been beaten out of its adherents. In the last few years, however, there has been a significant number of Africans who have accepted Islam - without any proselytisation. It is hoped that the sharing of a common way of life and an acceptance of the equality of all adherents that is stressed by Islam would go a long way in reducing inter-racial tensions.

Youman Nabi also has a lesson for those who will be vying this year to lead this nation for the next five years. The Prophet Muhammad left a living example of how a leader of a country should act and behave.

Modesty, frugality, fairness, merciful and practicing what is demanded of others were some of his watchwords. While there is great stress nowadays on academic qualifications, the life of Muhamad demonstrates that more than all the "learning", a leader must be imbued by positive values.

Happy Youman Nabi!

Celebrating the New Year around the world: Men ride on a mikoshi, or portable shrine, as local people carry it into the sea during a festival to wish for calm waters in the ocean and good fortune in the New Year in Oiso, west of Tokyo, Japan (BBC News)

GRA revenue collection did exceedingly well Dear Editor, The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has had a remarkable year, though fraught with obstacles. The task of collecting $135.3 billion was indeed challenging.

However, the GRA is satisfied that it has done exceedingly well it terms of its main goal of revenue collection for 2014, and looks forward to a new year where the citizenry honour their tax obligations more voluntarily.

The organisation continues to prove its fortitude amidst much skepticism and negative publicity. Speculation in the public domain had suggested that revenue collection for 2014 was waning, but we are satisfied with our achievement for 2014. The GRA continues to fulfill its mandate in collecting Government revenues in keeping with the estimate approved in the National Assembly.

The GRA has also seen improvement in the number of taxpayers who have been honouring their obligation to file returns.

There was a record 20,270 tax returns submitted at tax sites set up across the country for the April 30 deadline for Income Tax

Returns.

During 2014, efficiency and integrity also remained at the heart of the GRA’s operations, prompting the introduction of the Random Selection of Commercial Imports for Inspection, which solicits the public’s involvement in the selection and examination process.

Other areas of achievement included the commissioning of a state-of-theart Chinese manufactured mobile container scanner with a capacity to electronically scan a maximum of 20 containers in one hour using the latest technology in x-ray imaging.

In 2014, the GRA also achieved significant success in collaborating with financial institutions and service providers in rolling out its internet, telebanking and other payment options programme to provide taxpayers with a modern and secure alternative for paying taxes.

In March 2014 commercial banks and corporate entities were added as collecting agents for various tax types and licence fees.

The entities on board with the initiative are Mobile Money Guyana (MMG), Bill Express, Demerara

Bank, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), Republic Bank and Bank of Baroda.

The initiative allowed taxpayers the option of paying various tax types via their computers or phones from any location, or at a convenient overthe-counter Bill Express location.

The motor vehicle licences was upgraded to a plastic card in 2014. The material is difficult to reproduce and includes some sophisticated features that could not have been included on the red book licence.

Additionally, the much talked about Mortgage Interest Relief (MIR) which offers concessions to first time homeowners, was decentralized for the benefit of applicants across the country.

This year marks 15 years since the GRA has been functioning as a semi-autonomous body with a mandate to promote compliance with the country’s tax, trade and border laws and regulations.

In keeping with its Information C o m m u n i c a t i o n Technology (ICT) modernization plan, upgrades

to its Total Revenue Integrated Processing System (TRIPS) are being conducted for the GRA to facilitate web based transactions. As such, TRIPS II is expected to rollout by mid 2015.

2015 is expected to be a year of technological change and advances for staff and taxpayers as the GRA eagerly looks forward to providing electronic services including the filing of tax returns.

The organisation also hopes to open several Tax Centres to provide basic services for taxpayers’ convenience.

During 2015, further enhancements are also expected to be made to the new plastic driver’s licence as agency moves into phase two of the rollout to allow for information sharing with relevant stakeholders among other things.

The GRA looks forward to new and improved stakeholder relationships in 2015 as the organisation continues to promote voluntary compliance and to improve taxpayer services.

Khurshid Sattaur CommissionerGeneral

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

The PPP/C has embraced a working class ideology, has never shifted course Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) salutes the entire membership and supporters of the party on the occasion of its 65th anniversary.

As is popular knowledge, the PPP was formed on January 1, 1950 with Dr Cheddi Jagan and his wife Janet as founder leaders.

This makes the PPP/C not only the oldest but also the largest and most respected political party in the country.

The PPP/C is proud of the role it has played in the granting of internal self Government and subsequently in the struggle for political independence to the then colony of British Guyana after over 150 years of British colonial rule.

The records will show that it was the PPP that led the struggle for universal adult suffrage and other constitutional advances, including the current ministerial system of Government.

From its very inception, the PPP embraced a working class ideology and have never shifted course despite

the several attempts by foreign vested interests in collaboration with local reactionary elements to destroy the party.

Regrettably, the party suffered a major blow in 1955 when Forbes Burnham and a group of opportunists broke way from the PPP and formed their own party, but the party displayed remarkable resilience to emerge even stronger, winning all subsequent elections until it was engineered out of office through the intrigues and machinations of vested interests in the 1964 elections.

The PPP/C is on record as the only political party in Guyana that has never lost free and fair elections in Guyana. It has was kept out of office for close to three decades through a combination of force and fraud unleashed by the PNC regime, but like a phoenix it once again re-emerged from the ashes to win a resounding victory in the elections of October 1992 which brought an end to 28 years of authoritarian rule.

Today, the PPP/C is

again in the driver’s seat leading the struggle for a democratic, free and prosperous Guyana. As in the past, dark forces are again ganging up to destabilize the PPP/C and the PPP/C Government and to thwart the country’s forward march.

The PPP/C is confident that like in the past these forces will be defeated and the party will again emerge stronger and victorious.

The PPP/C takes this opportunity to thank all the people of Guyana for the support it received and continue to receive and looks forward for their continuing support at this critical period in our political history.

The PPP/C pledges to continue to work hard to create a just and prosperous Guyana where every Guyanese, regardless of race, religion or creed would be provided with the opportunity to realize their full potential and benefit from the economic and social gains that the country has to offer.

PPP/C, Freedom House

The AFC has a one-man Finance Committee

Dear Editor, The AFC’s TV programme in Berbice, “Alliance on the Move”, continues to confuse viewers in its usual erratic and enigmatic manner.

An intelligent viewer will be at a loss to make a proper conclusion of what really was conveyed. Its presenters continue to display an utter disregard for dealing with issues in an objective and structured manner.

In addition, there is an absolute deficiency in clarity and the presenters, in their bid to gain political mileage, will embark on an excursion into inaccuracies, lies, extreme distortion and character assassination.

Moreover, the programme is so replete with redundancies that the presenters seem oblivious of this and continue to give the same information week after week. This is direct insult to the intelligence of its viewers.

However, they are experts in changing their stance on some vital issues.

For instance, Dr Veersammy Ramayya, Khemraj Ramjattan and Charrandass Persaud had made it clear that the AFC would close down the sugar industry if they are given the opportunity.

On April 4, 2014, Ramayya said that GuySuCo is “comatose” and then he went on to say that the industry is not profitable and should be closed down. He and Persaud echoed this sentiment on many occa-

sions. Persaud even took a person, whom Ramjattan claimed is an “expert on sugar” and that person emphasized that the industry should be closed down and he even outlined a redundancy plan!

Now on January 3, Ramayya is reversing his earlier prognostication. He is now claiming that the AFC can make the industry profitable if they are elected at the next election. Does this man ever recall what he said in the past? The same “comatose” industry has surpassed its 2014 target! The sugar industry will continue to progress even though it is facing enormous challenges.

Now this same man is challenging the ability of the Minister of Agriculture to run his Ministry. He claimed in his programme that the rice industry is not producing! This is the most asinine statement I have heard for a long time.

The year 2014 has seen an unprecedented production of rice in this country!

Yet, he is now claiming that the AFC will bring back the rice industry as well. But this is the modus operandi of the AFC leaders.

They criticise the PPP/C Government and then they want to take praises for the Government’s achievements. They just love to ‘piggyback’ – just analyse their relationship with APNU. On the next AFC programme, I want Ramayya to answer the question as

to why Dominic Gaskin (Granger’s son-in-law) continues to be the party’s Treasurer despite the fact that the AFC’s Constitution is against the holding of that position for more than two consecutive terms?

The AFC has a one-man Finance Committee and each Regional Group has a one-man Finance Committee which makes it easy to manipulate donations and its spending on whatever the ‘fat cats’ want.

I also want Ramayya to talk about the motion which was passed at the 2012 Conference with regard to the depositing of funds in a bank account and for disbursement to be made via a Finance Committee.

Lastly, Ramayya has done a ‘Dr Rupert Roopnarine’ on the AFC’s programme when he called upon Berbicians to boycott the Guyana Times, NCN and the Guayna Chronicle.

He claimed that the Guyana Times peddles 99 percent lies!

This is how these AFC ignoramuses want to ensure that the people do not listen to the other side of the story. He was in full praise for the Stabroek News and the Kaieteur News. The reason why Ramayya is so mortally afraid of the truth is anyone’s guess! You simply cannot brainwash people when they seek information from different sources!

Haseef Yusuf, AFC Councillor

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Heart-rending Guyana, AirAsia plane disappearance, crash Dear Editor, It is heart rending to learn about the crash of the Air Asia jet and the disappearance of the domestic Guyana aircraft that vanished without a trace; though not related.

Tears flowed from my eyes watching the news coverage (CNN and BBC and other European channels) on their disappearances – lives lost during this festive season bringing sadness to so many families and to nations when people should be celebrating.

But unlike in Guyana where there is limited news coverage and infrequent updates of the crash, in Europe, I got the latest on the Air Asia disaster every few minutes since it happened.

CNN international coverage is very different from what one gets in the US. The European and Asian versions are truly international news and not American centric as is the coverage in the US. And BBC, unlike FOX or MSNBC, provides first class coverage of global events; one gets a global perspective from BBC as opposed to say ABC World News which defines the world as the US. BBC and CNN provide up to the minute coverage of the Air Asia crash as compared with American TV stations. In seeing the news on European networks, one can empathize and sympathize with and feel the pains and sufferings of the families of the victims.

The feeling generated on TV is different from say reading about the tragedy in Guyana where nothing emotive is on the webpages of the papers. Sorry, nothing on the Guyana crash on the international networks, not even on International Journal news or US Today or New York Times

International editions.

But my prayers are with the victims and their families of both crashes (presuming the Guyana plane crashed) and I hope they are safe and the victims will be found.

I am familiar with the various territories involved in the disappearance of the Air Asia jet and I can relate with the scenes shown on TV. All three countries are influenced

by Indian culture (music, religion, food - with curry being its main cuisine). All three are attractive places with so much history and so many similarities with Guyana in terms of ethnic conflict, religion and food.

I can relate directly with the Air Asia disaster. I was also reading a lot about Air Asia’s plan to enter the Indian market and have planned to use its low budget flights.

I experienced the heavy tropical rains in all three countries while flying over Indonesia – very powerful monsoons. And I flew through heavy thunderstorms in that area.

It was frightening and I wished if I had not flown in such weather; once the aircraft flew dipped low very quickly as it avoided heavy clouds and I thought it was the end. It felt like my heart would fall out and my stomach sank. But we landed safely.

The Changi International Airport is a safe airport and it responded quickly to the Air Asia disaster as compared with disasters in Indonesia or the disasters involving the two Malaysian aircraft earlier in the year. Malaysia has similar ethnic problems like Guyana.

In aviation, Indonesian carriers are not known for their safety record. But Air Asia is the safest domestic

carrier prior to this incident.

Some of the domestic carriers are not very safe and one always reads about aviation disasters in Indonesia.

It is for this reason that Garuda Airlines, Indonesia’s national carrier, was banned from flying into Europe and North America. Aviation and safety is not of the same standard as in the West.

But Air Asia is different; it has permission to fly overseas following international standards. It has not been blacklisted in the West and the East. Air Asia keeps expanding as flying has become more affordable in the region.

Others carriers (like Lion Air, Merapi, etc) have sprung up in recent years as people are becoming wealthy and going on vacation. Air Asia has subsidiaries in virtually all of the major countries including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and India.

But the disaster should not discourage people from flying, which remains the safest way to travel. The disaster is weather and not aircraft related. The plane was sound and experts said it was built to withstand the bad weather of the region.

Experts believe pilot error may have played a role in the disaster. And the airline’s owner and management have responded well to the disaster – an illustration of the kind of service it provides.

But regardless of service, safety comes first and in Guyana that disaster should be used as a reference not to fly in very bad weather. The disappearance of the small Guyana aircraft is not the first. All aircraft needs to be monitored for safety and air worthiness –lives are at stake.

Vishnu Bisram

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Page

Foundation

Huge progress has been made in many critical areas involving children’s health. Yet there is still important work to be done, and most of it doesn’t involve expensive new drugs or surgical procedures. Instead, it’s about the basics. We have identified five issues that desperately need the world’s attention for the sake of children and their families, and suggest some ways that you and your family can help.

T

he joy of giving birth is usually accompanied by a sense of wonder while watching a tiny, fragile creature take those first breaths. Luckily, for most new mothers, skilled medical attendants are on hand to make sure that all goes well during and just after delivery.

The first 28 days of life — the “neonatal period” — are the riskiest in a child’s life: Almost three million babies die within the first month of life each year; that’s 44 per cent of all deaths in children younger than five years old.

About 50 per cent of all newborn deaths are within 24 hours of birth; up to 75 per cent occur in the first week of life.

Birth asphyxia (the inability to breathe immediately after delivery) claims one million babies every year.

More than half of these deaths are after a home birth without any health care.

Almost all newborn deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (particularly Africa and

South Asia), where nearly half of all mothers and newborns do not have medical care during and after birth.

Most of these babies would survive if their mothers had a skilled birth attendant, especially if delivering in a health care facility.

thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.” The global under-five mortality rate has dropped (from 90 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990 to 48 in 2012); however, deaths in the neonatal period increased from 37 per cent to

After birth, a newborn must be breathing well and kept warm.

Millennium Development Goal Four addresses child mortality: “Reduce by two

44 per cent.

Many of these deaths can be prevented through simple, affordable interventions that can be used in home births. Here are a few that

could use your help: Helping Babies Breathe: This group promotes skilled attendance at birth, assessment of newborns, temperature support, stimulation to breathe, and assisted ventilation as needed, all within “The Golden Minute” after birth. You can donate.

Embrace: This social enterprise developed an innovative, low-cost infant warmer that stays at a constant temperature for up to six hours to maintain premature and low-birthweight babies’ body temperature. You can donate, volunteer, or spread the word.

Every Beat Matters: Save the Children’s newborn and child survival campaign works to make basic lifesaving health care available to children in the world’s poorest countries by training and supporting frontline health workers. You can donate, advocate, and spread the word.

I

n most parts of the world, we take clean running water for granted. So it’s shocking to learn that: Every 21 seconds, a child dies from a water-related illness.

More than 3.4 million people die each year from water-related illness.

780 million people — about 1 in 9 — lack access to clean water. More than twice that many, 2.5 billion, don’t have access to a toilet.

The majority of illness is caused by faecal matter.

Globally, more people have a cellphone than a toilet.

An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the average person living in a slum in a developing country uses in a day.

UNICEF reports that more than 5000 children under age five die each day because of diarrhoeal diseases, often contracted through contaminated drinking water or no access to sanitation facilities, like bathrooms with flushable toilets.

Again, the impact of this

is felt keenly by children.

In addition to water-related mortality, malnutrition attributed to dirty water and poor sanitation and hygiene kills another 2350 children younger than five each day.

In developing countries, the task of collecting water for the household usually falls to women and children (especially girls). Often, this means hours-long walks from the home to collect the water, and may happen several times a day. This burden means the adults are not working at a paying job and the children are not in school. And, the water collected — often from streams and ponds rather than wells — is likely dirty.

This cycle of disease, joblessness, and missed school makes the water crisis a major part of global poverty. Yet it could be one of the easiest factors to fix. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that it would cost US$11.3 billion per year for global clean water and sanitation — in comparison, Americans spend about US$450 billion each year to celebrate Christmas. Costs to build a new well start at less than US$3000. A well not only provides clean, safe water nearby, which allows women to work and girls to attend school, it also makes farming possible. Biosand water filtration systems for individual families cost less than US$100.

Want to get involved?

Any of these organisations would be glad for the help: UNICEF Tap Project: The focus is on helping provide the world’s children with safe, clean water. You can donate, volunteer, and spread the word.

Water.org: This nonprofit organisation (whose motto is “Safe water & the dignity of a toilet for all, in our lifetime.”) has brought cleanwater solutions to communities in Africa, South Asia, and Central America. You can help by donating, organising a fundraiser, raising awareness, buying a US$10 water bottle, and many other ways.

The Water Project: Donations help this group work with community members to build new wells, fix old wells, and implement rain catchment, spring protection, and biosand water systems. (kidshealth.com)

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

140 cases completed during 2014 – DPP

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he Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers disposed of a total of 140 cases during the year 2014; however, only 103 of them received the court’s attention. The other 37 cases were nolle prosequi (not prosecuted) by the DPP. In a year-end review of its cases, the Chambers disclosed that of the 103 cases, 75 were done in the Demerara Assizes, 15 in the Berbice Assizes and 13 in the Essequibo Assizes.

There were a total of 69 cases for murder, three cases for the offence of manslaughter, 14 for rape, four for Rape of a Child Under 16 years and six cases for Carnal Knowledge of a Girl Under 15.

Additionally, there were two cases for the offence of wounding with intent, one case for the offence of unlawful wounding, three cases for the offence of robbery under arms, two cases for attempt to commit murder, one case for felonious wounding, four cases for buggery, one for causing grievous bodily harm, one case for the offence of assault causing actual bodily harm, three cases of incest, one case for sexual activity with a child by family member, two cases of indecent assault and one case for the offence of attempt to commit a felony.

There were a total of 30 convictions, 54 acquittals, 10 hung juries, one quashed committal, two aborted trials, one unrepresented accused was sent back to prison after he indicated that he needed five years to prepare

his defence, one psychiatric evaluation was ordered for one accused after he was unresponsive to the court, and one accused was committed to the National Psychiatric Hospital for treatment until such time that he is fit to stand trial.

Unfit

In two other murder cases, both accused persons were found to be unfit to stand trial and ordered to be given psychiatric treatment after which time they should be reassessed to determine if they were fit to stand trial. In another matter for the offence of carnal knowledge, the accused who was out on bail failed to attend court and the judge issued an arrest warrant and his bail was escheated.

In the meantime during 2014, some 50 matters were filed in the Court of Appeal by the Chambers. There are five applications pending for Notices of Hearing of Appeals. According to the Chambers, 19 appeals were dismissed and six matters were dismissed.

Of these six appellants, two died while awaiting their appeals while the four other appellants and their defence counsels made no court appearance. Ten applications of Notice to Withdraw were granted, while three appeals were struck down by the court. Then there were two appellants who had their applications for bail refused, and one application for extension of time to file the Notice of Appeal was granted.

The court allowed two appeals; in one of which the appellant had three separate court hearings. The first application was refused while at a second hearing, the court granted him bail in the sum of $150,000 with surety in like sum. At the third hearing, the court granted his appeal and ordered a new trial by another magistrate. The appellant in the other matter had his conviction and sentence set aside.

Five matters were heard in the Demerara Full Court during last year before acting Chief Justice Ian Chang sitting either with Justice Rishi Persaud and Justice Navindra Singh. In one matter, the application by the defence to withdraw and discontinue the matter was withdrawn. In two other matters, the applications for extension of time to file the Notice of Appeal were granted, while one application for extension of time was dismissed. One matter was struck out by the court, because there was no appearance by counsel for the appellant.

Meanwhile, the Berbice Full Court heard three matters before Justice Chang sitting with Justice Singh.

In one matter, the Full Court found that it was the wrong court to hear the appeal and transferred the matter to the Court of Appeal. Two other appeals were dismissed.

And in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), four matters were heard during 2014 before Justice Charles Michael Denis Bryon, Justice Rolston Nelson, Justice Jacob Witt, Justice Adrian Saunders, Justice David Hayton, and Justice Winston Anderson.

In one matter, the CCJ first granted leave to the defence to file an Appeal out of time. The CCJ then set a date for hearing of the said appeal, heard the appeal and dismissed it. In another matter, the appellant’s application for bail was refused by the CCJ, which referred the applicant back to the Court of Appeal. Then in a fourth matter, the application by the defence for leave to appeal out of time was dismissed.

Redesigned machine-readable passport for this year

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new redesigned machine-readable passport will be introduced in Guyana this year, the Home Affairs Ministry has reported.

The Ministry said the redesigned document was intended to safeguard the integrity of the Guyana Passport, noting that the process to upgrade the

machine-readable passport was in keeping with the Border Control System which had begun some two years ago.

According to the Ministry, a contract was signed in mid-2014 with Canadian Bank Note for the upgrade to begin in 2015. He said the contract will see the removal

of the old system and setting up of a new software and hardware system.

“This process is almost completed and the new redesigned passport will come into being in 2015.

The old one will be phased out, not too long after the implementation of the new system, “the Ministry said.

2 remain critical after deadly Sophia blaze

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Clifford Sampson

wo persons have remained hospitalised following the fire in Sophia, Greater Georgetown on Saturday that left a 68-year-old man dead.

Tibola Abrams and her reputed husband, Sean Whyte, are nursing first- and second-degree burns in the Burns Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Clifford Sampson, a bus driver who plied the Georgetown-C Field, Sophia route succumbed to his injuries Saturday afternoon while receiving treatment at the public hospital.

The other seven victims of the Friday night blaze, Aletha Buelow, Tyrice Buelow, Troy Buelow, Weldon Webster, Ashanti Giame, Candacy Buelow and her reputed husband were discharged on Saturday after being treated for injuries sustained.

The survivors who are now seeking refuge at a relative in Republic Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) fled from their C Field, Sophia home after it was reportedly set on fire by a “bitter lover”.

The two-storey house was

divided into four apartments which the family shared before it was reduced to ashes.

Candacy Buelow, who is now mourning the tragic death of her stepfather, recalled that it was just about 23:50h when she heard a loud explosion. “When I ran outside, the entire house was already on fire,” she said, noting that attempts were made to alert the other occupants of the house.

At the time, Buelow’s mother, Aletha and Sampson, her reputed husband, were sleeping in the upper flat of the building along with their grandchildren six-year-old Tyrice Buelow and four-year-old Troy Buelow.

Turned back

By the time they were awakened, the fire had already engulfed most of the building forcing them to jump from a window with the exception of Sampson.

According to Candacy, her stepfather was under the impression that Tyrice was still trapped in the building.

“He turned back looking for my son (Tyrice) and in the mix of it all, a gas bottle exploded. By that time fire was all over his body, all his clothes were burnt off. He did not jump from the window, he fell,” she recollected.

With the help of her mother, she pulled Sampson into a nearby yard, before he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Abrams, Whyte, Webster and Giame were rescued from the lower flat of the building.

Questioned about the identity of the suspected arsonist, Candacy responded, “Gavin Graham”. She explained that Graham shared

a relationship with her older sister Tibola for approximately five years before they separated. The separation had resulted in Graham allegedly issuing a series of threats which landed them in court. Abrams had also filed a restraining order against him.

Around 19:30h on Friday, Graham reportedly visited the house with the intentions of “patching up” the relationship, but when Abrams refused, he became very angry and issued additional threats.

“He wanted my sister to go over the river with him (West Demerara), but she said no and that made him mad. He called she afterwards and tell her, he will do her something she will never forget,” she explained.

It is believed that Graham doused the house with gasoline before setting a fire. Reports are that after setting the house afire, he fled the premises. Eyewitnesses claimed that they did not know why Graham was running until they saw the burning house.

“I see when he went running up de road, but I didn’t budge ‘cause them man always deh pon stupidness, but is when I see de house on fire then I start calling people,” an eyewitness said.

However, Graham had already made good his escape.

During the blaze, the family tried saving some of their items by pushing them through the window, but the only articles that were saved were a chair set and a television.

Up to press time, only one rank of the Cove and John Police Station had contacted the family after the fire.

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Jagdeo urges peaceful, credible elections in Sri Lanka Eyew tness H

ead of the Commonwealth Elections Observer Mission to Sri Lanka, former President Bharrat Jagdeo has urged Sri Lankans to do their part to ensure that a peaceful and credible process takes place on 8 January.

Following an invitation from the Commissioner of Elections, the Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral has constituted an Observer Group headed by Jagdeo to the 8 January 2015 Presidential Election in Sri Lanka. In a statement Jagdeo said it is his honour and privilege to have been asked to lead the Group, and to be in the country for these elections. “Our ninemember Observer Group has been drawn from across the Commonwealth, and includes former politicians and members of parliament, former members of election commissions and representatives of civil society and the media.”

The Group he said is supported by a staff team of five, led by Ms Katalaina Sapolu, Director of the Rule of Law Division at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

According to Jagdeo Sri Lanka has among the oldest democratic traditions in

Head of the Commonwealth Elections Observer Mission to Sri Lanka, former President Bharrat Jagdeo

the Commonwealth, noting that the Commonwealth recently observed the 2010 Presidential election and the 2013 Northern Provincial Council elections.

“Our task is to consider all the factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole, and to assess whether the election is conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which Sri Lanka has committed itself, with reference to national election-related legislation as well as Commonwealth and other international commitments,” the Former Guyanese leader said. “We will consider, among other things, whether conditions exist for credible elections,

including a fair election environment; whether public media has been impartial; the transparency of the entire process; whether voters are free to express their will; and whether the counting and results process is transparent.”

According to Jagdeo in conducting their duties and undertaking their assessment, “we will be neutral, impartial, objective and independent. The Group has no executive role; its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgement accordingly,” he stressed. “We are here in our individual capacities as eminent and experienced Commonwealth citizens. The assessment by the Group will be its own

and not that of any member government. Our intent is to offer constructive support to help strengthen the democratic process in the country. In so doing, the Group will make recommendations to the authorities concerned on institutional, procedural and other matters as would assist the holding of such elections in the future.”

According to Jagdeo already they met with the Commissioner of Elections, national observer groups, and representatives of the two main candidates.

Over the coming days he said they will be meeting Commonwealth High Commissioners, representatives of the police as well as civil society groups. “We will then deploy across the country to observe the conclusion of the campaign and thereafter the voting, counting and results process.

We will issue an Interim Statement after the election and the Group will submit a final report to the Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral, who will forward it to the Government of Sri Lanka, the Commissioner of Elections, and leaders of political parties, and thereafter to all Commonwealth Governments.”

Concerns grow over illegal drugs entering prisons

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he Ministry of Home Affairs said it is concerned about the reports of illegal drugs and other paraphernalia entering the prison locations by inmates, Prison Officers and civilians who attempt to either throw them over the fences or smuggle them through the gates.

In a statement the ministry said it has a zero tolerance for this scourge and as such those who were caught with illegal goods, be it drugs, cigarettes or other items, were placed before the Courts last year. Last year the Ministry said due

to diligence on the part of the Prison Administration, there was an increase in the detection of cases and four Prison Officers were charged and placed before the Court and three others were charged departmentally. Three civilians were placed before the Court one is presently serving two years for attempting to smuggle cartridges into prison and two were sentenced with the option of paying a fine.

“In order to beef up the security infrastructure, cameras, monitors and electronic scanners

were installed at all prison locations and were complemented by regular body searches of both inmates and officers. Regular searches at the locations by Prison Officers and members of the Joint Prison/Police teams were carried out to address breaches in the security system,” the ministry said in the statement. It added that its efforts will continue in 2015 to make our prison environment safe and secure. Much emphasis will be placed also on training for officers and ranks, corrections and the rehabilitation of the prison, in keeping

with the Service’s Strategic Plan.

Additionally, the ministry the sum of $298M was allocated to the Guyana Prison Service for its Capital Prgaramme. Of this sum $212M is being spent building projects including the construction of the Brick Prison, Trade Shops and the Lusignan Prison, which has been identified as a correction facility particularly for young offenders. Thirty nine million is being spent on land and water transport and $47M is being spent on agriculture and other equipment.

Over 200 rejected for gun licences

O

ver 200 applications for firearm licences were rejected last year as the Home Affairs Ministry worked to reduce the large number of illegal guns that are on the streets.

Some years ago, experts had recommended a freeze in the issuance of gun licences as one means of controlling the rampant gun trafficking business here as well as curb gun crimes.

Speaking at his recent yearend review, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said that the Firearms Licensing Approval Board during 2014 received 439 applications for gun licences.

Of that number, 373 were processed and recommendations were made for the approval of 78. Two hundred and six applications were refused and 89 were returned to the Guyana Police Force for additional information.

Rohee said that the Board would continue to be intense in its work in 2015 to ensure that firearms were not approved for those who were undeserving.

Back in 2008 amid an upsurge in gun violence, Alliance For Change (AFC) Executive Sheila Holder had said that the time had come for the authorities to stop issuing gun licences to civil-

ians, one sure way of reducing gun violence and putting a dent in the illegal arms trade. Holder, who died in 2011, had said that too often criminals would wrest the guns from their victims during armed robberies and this was only equipping the gunmen with more arms.

“The gunmen are using more sophisticated weapons, so what is the point of issuing small arms to civilians?… Civilians are not trained to protect themselves with guns,” Holder was quoted by another media house as saying.

She had said that despite the continued issuance

of gun licences to civilians so they could protect themselves, crime continued to spiral out of control and citizens were no safer, with or without a gun. “Clearly, the policy has not worked and it is time we take steps to stop issuing guns to civilians.”

Brazil and Venezuela, countries with which Guyana shares vast, mostly unmanned borders are small arms manufacturers and it has been surmised that many of the arms and ammunition proliferating in the country at present would have been smuggled through these borders.

Angels dancing...

B

...on Ramkarran's (pin) head

ack in medieval Europe, before the triumph of reason and the scientific revolution, the fellas (and they were ALL fellas) considered to be the top "intellectuals" spent their days debating the metaphysics of their theology.

Thomas Aquinas was one of these "scholars" - they're collectively dubbed "the scholastics" - and he pondered such deep and pressing questions as "how many angels could dance on the tip of a pin without jostling each other".

Really!!!

Scholasticism, not surprisingly, became a metaphor for pointless debate and discussion. If you read the columns of Henry Jeffrey and Ralph Ramkarran in the Stabber News (as your Eyewitness unfortunately has to do) it'll be clear that the species is alive and well in Guyana.

These two wankers insist on spinning "what ifs" about things that never were and never will be. They obviously get that special frisson experienced by Aquinas and his band of scholastics. You can just hear their squeals of excitement as they cite each other.

Anyhow, this Sunday, Ramkarran spends a whole column on whether the PPP/C, if returned to the Presidency with a minority - will coalesce with the combined Opposition which would then have a majority in the Assembly and the Executive!! Sure!!! Bereft of the towering intellect of Ralph "Aquinas" Ramkarran, the PPP/C is so dumb that they'll commit political hara-kiri by arranging to be outvoted in and out of Cabinet!!

Just so you don't miss this mental masturbation (you don't think wanking off is pointless?? apart from that momentary thrill??), the Stabber regurgitated the entire pointless speculation as a "news article" 100 words more that the original 900-word column. The Muckraker will reregurgitate the cud later in the week!

Now this Eyewitness isn't even going to question the premise of Ramkarran's assertion - that the PPP/C's only going to be returned once again with a plurality to the Presidency. Survey-free assertions on people's "choices" are the norm in Guyana.

He isn't even going to question whether the PPP/C would commit political suicide - his hatred for his erstwhile comrades has obviously pushed him further into irrelevant scholasticism.

What your Eyewitness found interesting is his assumption that PNC/APNU will not be entering a pre-election coalition with AFC. Ramkarran, after all, has spent the last three years burnishing his credentials as the leader of such a coalition.

Does his speculation (promotion?) of a PPP/C coalition with the Opposition APNU and AFC separately mean that he's been rebuffed by even Granger, Nagamootoo and Ramjattan??

If (political) death by a thousand cuts is painful, this has to be the unkindest cut of all!!

...and Granger doesn't know about FUCOP?

Now let's see if we can "pick sense from nonsense", as the old heads would say, on the "Funding a United Committee for Opposition Presidency" (FUCOP) this Eyewitness has been hearing about. Some folks say that the acronym's too scatological and open to mockery for the Opposition APNU and AFC to come up with.

Really?? Isn't this the same folks, who facing universal condemnation for rigging elections for decades came up with a new name - PNC/Reform-1Guyana?? Which gave them the acronym PNC-R1G for the 2001 elections??!!!

FUCOP is just the last in a long line of Freudian slips by the Opposition. Remember "Committee to Re-Elect the President" - CREEP that raised money for Desmond Hoyte in 1992?? Creepy!!!

Let's look at the facts. Election's are gonna be held this year. APNU's General Secretary Lt Col Harmon (retd) declared the party "broke". Had to sell land at Sophia. And they're gonna refuse money from Mook Lall just because he treats their inside man, Adam Harris, worse than dirt??

Pleeeeease!!!

...and Badal for Marriott

A cruder formulation of the "angels on a pin tip" useless speculation which wankers waste their time on is "if pigs had wings...." This about sums up Badal's chances of getting a Marriott franchise.

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Safety in aviation sector strongest ever – Capt Gouveia

By Vahnu Manikchand

I

n light of the disappearance of the Britten Norman Islander aircraft over a week ago with its pilot and a cargo loader onboard, many have begun to question the safety and security measures that are in place to protect local aviation operators.

There are concerns about whether adequate arrangements are in place particularly for small plane operators who fly over the dense forest that extensively covers most of the country’s landmass. Questions are raised about whether the systems used such as the GPS are technologically advanced to add efficiency to the operations of the sector.

Just over a week ago, the Air Services Limited (ASL) aircraft went off of the grid. The twin-engine aircraft’s last known position via “Spot Tracker” was 3.8 nautical miles South of Mahdia – a mere two minutes after it departed Mahdia airstrip. Along with the aircraft, the pilot Nicky Persaud, 27, and Cargo Loader, 51-year-old David Bisnauth, are also missing.

Aviators have acknowledged that the area the plane was operating in is one of the most hostile jungle and mountainous areas in Guyana. The Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) has been working along with the Guyana Civil

Captain Gerry Gouveia

Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Guyana Defence Force to track down the aircraft and its occupants despite adverse weather conditions.

Adequate Some commentators believe that the facilities the sector has in place are the most advanced and adequate enough given the conditions that operators have to fly in.

Speaking with the Guyana Times, Captain Gerry Gouveia, head of Roraima Airways and a pilot himself, pointed out that the local aviation sector was very secure and was improving on a daily basis. He noted that there were almost 100 aircraft operating out of the Ogle International Airport (OIA) that do both domestic and regional flights, and the se-

curity system in place was one that had improved tremendously over the years and was compliant with international regulations.

Gouveia explained that even with the most advanced systems, flying over Guyana’s terrain was a most challenging task and pilots had to be constantly aware and prepared for any situation. He stated that it was most challenging too for pilots to adhere to manuals and follow procedures since they had to adapt to the conditions of the jungle. “While we may have improvements in technology, the jungle still remains very challenging to fly over.”

He added that even with an exceptional safety record in the sector, there was always room for improvements.

Gouveia stressed that any incident or accident involving aircraft should not be taken lightly and should be reported so that investigations can be carried out and operators can look at what went wrong and improve on that area.

In addition, Captain Gouveia outlined that local pilots are highly, and probably among the best, trained as they had to manoeuvre over the country’s jungle and do so regularly with as little mishap as possible. He noted that the training programme offered locally was very professional and intense, but sometimes things go wrong

Security Guard found dead on workplace's fence

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The Best Buy Auto Sales, Queenstown location where the security guard met his demise

64-year-old security guard attached to Best Buy Auto Sales Company in Queenstown, Georgetown was discovered dead on Sunday at his place of employment.

The man, Hamjad Ali was discovered hanging from the company’s fence by another security guard attached to Federal Management System Inc’s Security Guard Service.

Guyana Times was told that the Federal Security guard was proceeding to work at about 06:45h when he made the shocking discovery. The police were immediately contacted.

A staff attached to the Best Buy Auto Sales Company though reluctant to speak to the press, said from all indications, it appeared as though Ali was drinking when he met his demise. Based on his

analysis and positioning of the body, the employee opined that the 64-yearold guard might have left the premises to purchase alcohol and accidently locked himself out. “Like he was drinking on his way back and upon realising he had no key, he decided to climb over the fence and got shocked,” the man explained. A number of beer bottles were found on the scene.

and although pilots were trained to operate in such adverse conditions, it can be a bit too much to handle at times.

Sector strong Meanwhile, Transport Minister Robeson Benn stated that there were regulations in place for operators to abide by and the GCAA was the oversight body that ensured that companies were in compliance with the regulations.

The Minister stressed that the local aviation sector has grown significantly over the years.

“We never had this number of planes,” he highlighted, stating that the OIA records over 100 movements on a daily basis. He noted that with this tremendous improvement, the sector has also improved its techniques to offer better protection to operators.

Benn referred to the Automatic Dependence Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) Project that was introduced in August last by the GCAA. This system positions the aviation sector to better manage its airspace and the safety of air traffic. It is part of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s global plan for the seamless transition of flights

Transport Minister Robeson Benn

through the world’s airspace.

Benn stated that since the launch of the ADS-B Project only two aircraft have had it installed, but his Ministry was looking to have the tracker installed in all aircraft operating in the country’s airspace.

He further noted that the “Spot Tracker” would give position updates every 10 minutes, and they were working to shorten the period between updates.

The Transport Minister went on to say that operators will have to invest in the ADS-B Project in order to ensure the safety of aircraft and pilots. “I don’t think they will want to

compromise this,” he pointed out. Nevertheless, Benn emphasised that despite the many initiatives undertaken for the safety of operators, weather conditions, the environment, state of the aircraft, fuel, and condition of the engine are all factors that cannot be predetermined.

While rescuers are working feverishly to locate the missing Highlander, this aircraft joins a list of several that have gone down in the interior region within a year’s time. In September last, a Cessna 206 aircraft belonging to the GDF crashed at Camp Jaguar after it ran off the airstrip. Two months earlier in July, a Britten Norman Islander plane crashed while landing at the Monkey Mountain airstrip in the interior. In March 2014, though without any fatalities, another aircraft with three on board crashed after takeoff from an airstrip at the remote interior mining location of Arau. In addition, early last January, Canadian Pilot Blake Slater and Guyanese cargo handler Dwayne Jacobs lost their lives after the plane they were travelling in crashed at Mazaruni. (vahnum@

guyanatimesgy.com)

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

News

Coalition negotiations...

AFC to APNU: Secret talks or no talks W

hile A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has continued to insist on clarity on the proposed coalition with the Alliance For Change (AFC), the AFC has said it prefers that the two parties hold secret talks on the issue.

Since the announcement that the AFC was willing to coalesce with APNU was made on December 6, 2014

by AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, there have been no substantive talks between the two political factions.

However, it was revealed that there was a preliminary meeting between

APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon and his AFC counterpart, David Patterson.

A media release from Patterson over the weekend revealed that the discussion between the two parties led to the AFC submitting an agreement for non-disclosure on the part of APNU. The release said that “in the last meeting of the General Secretaries of both parties, the AFC tabled a non-disclosure agreement for the review and signing by the APNU, with the clear understanding that on the return of the signed document, the AFC would release to APNU, our Draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which would form the template for our negotiations”.

No public negotiations

The party said too “it should be noted that we don’t intend to negotiate agreement within the public space and, therefore, will not be commenting further on this matter until there is a substantive announcement to be made.”

The AFC indicated that while it awaited a response from APNU on the non-disclosure agreement, it was prepared to “issue a draft MoU to the APNU within 24 hours of receiving the signed non-disclosure document”.

AFC General Secretary David Patterson

Thereafter, negotiations between the two parties could commence. This means that as early as Wednesday, APNU and the AFC could commence talks on a possible alliance to contest the next General and Regional Elections, which are expected before the end of 2015.

“In the meantime, we have continued to meet with serious-minded groups and individuals and are finalising our campaign team and strategy and subsequent structure and plan for government,” the release said.

On Friday, APNU Leader David Granger confirmed that talks between the coalition and the AFC

on a possible coalition were yet to commence, indicating that the AFC was pussyfooting on the issue.

Granger said that the AFC was yet to state clearly what exactly its proposal for a pro-democracy alliance entailed. He had said that while APNU remained open to dialogue between the two parties and civil society, it would like to know what exactly would be on the agenda when the parties did meet for dialogue.

Granger was adamant that as it stood what was being proposed by the AFC was something that would have already been part of APNU’s charter. This charter was published since 2011 when the APNU coalition was formed with five political parties.

“There was an invitation, which was made at an inconvenient time and the two sides have been in touch seeking clarification on the proposal by the AFC,” said Granger on Friday.

Among the other invitees to talks were members of civil society and trade unions. Patterson had said that six weeks have been set aside for talks on the pro-democracy alliance. Thereafter, a decision should be announced as to whether there will be an alliance and of equal importance, the members of that alliance.

FUCOP money flowin S ome people does never learn dem lesson and dem does get expose every time dem open dem mouth.

And it gotta lotta truth in de long time old people sayin that it does tek one to know one.

So it does tek one dumb a** to know another dumb a**. Not callin Lalloo name. It does tek one scamp to know another scamp. Not callin de Mayor-Fuh-Life name. And it does tek one farce to know another farce. Not callin Freedie de man kisser name.

But since Freedie callin people farce, he musbe think that he can fool some people some of de time, but as old people seh, he can never fool all de people all de time.

Green Jah open he mouth and deny gettin any FUCOP money from de FUCOP money man. But de FUCOP money man he self stay quiet because he realise all he FUCOP plans get expose.

And that is why he tell some body that he wanna give up FUCOP and let some body else come up wid a different FUCOP name to handle de FUCOP money whah he givin dem fuh de FUCOP campaign.

Rum Jhaat on de other hand get quiet over de whole New Year since he know now that people know how de whole FUCOP ting goin on. Now, he don’t know if to stay in or get out of de FUCOP plan.

But knowin Rum Jhaat, he gon play smart and try to outsmart Green Jah outta all de FUCOP money whah dem both gettin from de FUCOP money man. So Rum Jhaat gon run to be de FUCOP Treasurer. Just wait and see whah gon happen to de FUCOP money now. After all, Rum Jhaat like to (mis)handle money whah don’t belong to he.

Nagga Man got some of de same traits too. Ask dem people at de NICE-LIL place in Kingston about how much money he handle fuh dem wid he own hands and how much leff in he hands!

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie!

That is more FUCOP money right deh!

Caribbean Airlines adding more flights early this year

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aribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) has announced a revised schedule that will be implemented from January 15, 2015 through to February 4 because of increased demand.

“In addition to increased capacity and more nonstops, Caribbean Airlines is also expecting major cost savings from a more efficient schedule that will see better utilisation of its 737 and 767 fleets. Many of the changes will focus on its Port-ofSpain hub at Piarco Airport, where improved connection times will make it easier for our guests to connect to/ from various points in our network,” the airline said in a statement on Wednesday.

The new schedule changes include: The launch of a new daily non-stop between Trinidad and New York featuring the first wide-body aircraft on the route, timed to provide an end-of-business day flights; a new daily departure on the TrinidadNew York route, increasing to three daily non-stop flights in each direction. For the one-stop service on this

route, its frequency will increase to 48 per week – more than triple those of any other airline. The GeorgetownNew York route is increased to daily non-stop flights in both directions. Flights in and out of Trinidad are increased with daily through flights to/from Toronto, Miami and New York.

As the only airline offering non-stop flights from Trinidad to London, CAL said it was increasing the frequency, effective February 4, 2015 to four weekly flights.

The Toronto-Georgetown non-stop flights (two per week) will be terminated effective March 1, 2015 – but replaced by a daily through flight in both directions.

“Buoyed by the steep decline in its number one expense – aircraft fuel, Caribbean Airlines is confident that this new schedule will build on the airline’s goal to achieve profitability,” the airline said. “The revised 767 flying patterns will see increased utilisation and a more customer-friendly schedule based solely on flights to/from its Trinidad hub.”

monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News

Times Notebook Guyana playing important role globally

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atrick I Gomes, G u y a n a ’ s Ambassador to Brussels, becomes the Secretary General (SG) of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) this month. Gomes was the clear winner for the job in November.

It was testimony to the high regard people have for Ambassador Gomes and for Guyana. Congratulations Ambassador!

Bayney Karran, Guyana’s Ambassador to the USA, is in the running to be appointed Deputy SG for the OAS in Washington.

The fact that he is a serious candidate for this post is another concrete testimony to the high regard people have for Guyana’s representatives abroad.

George Talbot, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, and Geir Pedersen, Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN, were appointed by the UN SG as co-facilitators for the Inter-governmental Consultations on the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) to be held in July 2015 in Ethiopia.

Bharat Jagdeo, the former President of Guyana,

Guyana's Brussels-based Ambassador to the European Union, Dr Patrick Gomes

was just elected to head the Commonwealth Secretariat Observer Team to the elections in Sri Lanka. Jagdeo himself has many international appointments that show the high regard people have for Guyana internationally.

He has served as a UN ambassador for Climate Change and is Chair of the Board for the Green Fund.

He has chaired the IDB and World Bank Boards.

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh also served as Chair of the IDB and CDB Boards. Agriculture

Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy served as President of WHO – maybe the only Caricom person to have ever done so – and as President of PAHO when he was Health Minister. Dr Ramsammy was also Chair of the Affordable Medicine for Malaria (AMFm) Board – the only person from the Americas to have done so.

These are only some of the achievements of Guyana at the international level. While the PPP/C Government has provided a foreign affairs policy framework and work at the

international level that has gained acclaim, Guyana’s achievements at the global level are not new.

Under the PNC, Sir Shridath Ramphal served as SG of the Commonwealth and Dr Mohammed Shahabbudin was a Member of the World Court. But since the 1990s, Guyana’s work on the global platform has gained greater international attention and respect.

Three important conferences are scheduled in 2015 and Guyana will play important roles at these conferences – roles beyond our size as a country and beyond our level of economic and social development. These include the FfD Consultations, the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on MDGs to be held in New York in September, and Agenda 21 to be held in Moscow in December.

The Ethiopia meeting will demonstrate how serious development partners, like the developed countries and the donor banks and agencies, such as the IMF, World Bank, IDB and CDB, etc are about accelerating development.

Jagdeo and Guyana’s representatives abroad

have championed the cause of developing countries and have sought to hold developed countries accountable for the inequities that tenaciously persist in developing countries. Guyana’s representatives have been inspired and followed the example of Dr Cheddi Jagan calling for a New Global Human Order.

Developed countries have not kept their MDG 8 promise and have betrayed their 1994 Copenhagen commitment to contribute at least 0.7 per cent of their GDP toward international partnerships to end hunger and poverty.

Guyana’s contribution must focus on fairness for a new financial support architecture that does not transform from a global to an African platform.

The MDGs meeting will involve global accounting for the goals and targets established in 2000 with the 2015 deadline. In Guyana, poverty has been reduced, there are fewer hungry people, health and education have improved, and more people have access to water and housing.

But the world will see another development platform that will not be able to say we have achieved

all of our targets. A new global development instrument, the Post 2015 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be agreed on. We must play a crucial role to include those sustainable development targets important to us and to Caricom.

The Agenda 21 meeting will be about climate change. Guyana has been bold in rebuking those countries most responsible for climate change and must lead a strong team of developing countries to make our presence felt in Moscow.

The three meetings are the most important ones to be held in 2015 and represent the development agenda that the world will set for 2015 to 2030.

Guyana cannot afford not to be present and not to be an important player. These meetings are about the New Global Human Order that Dr Jagan and Guyana have presented for global equity and fairness.

The PPP/C Government must establish the platform that Guyana will promote.

Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times. notebook@gmail.com.

Orealla, Siparuta get resident doctors for first time T

he Amerindian communities of Orealla and Siparuta along the Corentyne River, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) now for the first time have resident doctors.

Two Guyanese doctors, who were recently trained in Cuba, have taken up positions at the two Health Centres in Orealla and Siparuta. Dr Gorvinski Fraser will be in charge of the Orealla Health Centre while Dr Leonard Rampsersud will be in charge of the Siparuta Health Centre. Residents of both communities have praised the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA) for taking the initiative in giving the communities resident doctors.

Laddy Peneau, a former Councillor of the Region Six Democratic Council (RDC) and a resident of Orealla, expressed gratitude to both the RDC and the BRHA. He said it has been years that the residents of Orealla have been clamouring to have one doctor to service both communities. “Now we have two,

Siparuta Health Centre Supervisor Yonette Stass meets Dr Gorvinski Fraser while BRHA CEO, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo looks on

it will do the people of Orealla well and to know that we don’t

have to share our doctor with Siparuta is very good.”

At Siparuta, members of the Siparuta Village Council (SVC) were overjoyed when the doctors were introduced to them as resident doctors by BRHA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo. Senior Councillor Errol Morris said because the main economic activity of that community was logging, many villagers were injured in the back dam. “We would have to take the patient to Orealla to see the Medic or sometimes take them to Corriverton to see a doctor at the Skeldon Hospital.”

That hospital is 60 miles away and travelling by boat would take hours. Some villagers have been taken there after being bitten by deadly snakes. “It is not easy when you are taking two and a half hours to get to Corriverton and someone crying out for pain.

This is a very good move by the Government,” Morris declared.

Councillor Kingsley Hutson mentioned a recent instance when the patient was taken directly to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

The trip took six hours.

Coordinator of the Indigenous

Communities, attached to the Hinterland Department of the Health Ministry, Mike Gouveia called on the Village Council to support their doctor.

He noted that one of the doctors who recently returned from Cuba was from the village of Orealla. “It is not likely that she will be returning to Orealla because of specialised skills that she has acquired which will be needed elsewhere in the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahadeo called on the doctors to provide home visits to the residents, noting that the people of the two communities deserve such a service. Supervisor of the Siparuta Health Centre, Yonette Stass said the Health Centre would now be able to provide better service to the 285 residents of that community. Community Health Worker attached to the Orealla Health Centre, Joan Vandenberg, for her part, said the more than 1500 residents would benefit tremendously. Both doctors will be staying in the communities for three months.

12 News

monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Elections 2015...

APNU yet to discuss Granger’s running mate

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s political parties commence campaigning across the country for the impending General and Regional Elections, the main political Opposition party has said it has not yet decided who will be selected as its candidates for the Presidential and Prime Ministerial posts.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Leader, retired Brigadier David Granger on Friday said that while discussions have been held to discuss elections, those discussions have not focused on the selection of candidates.

According to the APNU Leader, while the coalition will be going into the elections as a “partnership”, no candidates were selected. He did not state a reason for the non-selection of candidates.

Despite a promise to retain the primaries model to elect its Presidential Candidate after a successful first attempt back in 2011, Granger, who is also the leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), said the mechanism was not a requirement of the party’s Constitution and it was unlikely to be used to determine candidates for the upcoming polls.

“There is no provision under the constitution which calls for the system of pri-

Dr Rupert Roopnaraine was Granger’s running mate in the last elections

maries, it was only because of the demitting of office by Mr [Robert] Corbin that that process of selection for the Presidential Candidate was instituted… it is not constitutional. It has not happened before and it is not in the constitution,” Granger told this publication.

Granger wields tremendous power and observers say it would be difficult to dislodge him from being the candidate of choice for APNU in the next elections.

Campaign

The other Opposition party, the Alliance For Change (AFC) has already named its presidential and prime ministerial nominees, but it is widely believed that the party will be led into elections by its Vice

Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo and Chairman Nigel Hughes as the Presidential and Prime Ministerial Candidates respectively.

While there is a possibility that the AFC and APNU will join forces to compete in the upcoming polls, Granger had made it clear that APNU would not sit and wait for coalition talks to commence. “We are waiting for the talks to begin … but I cannot wait, the campaign has started. You can see what the PPP [People’s Progressive Party] is doing and we cannot sit waiting for talks to start,” the APNU Leader declared on Friday.

When questioned about the AFC opting to lead any coalition of the parties, Granger said while he was not willing to prejudice the talks, it would be expected that the larger party be given preference. “APNU has four times as many seats as AFC, one would expect that consideration would be given to the majority,” he stated. According to Granger, there have already been talks between the APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon and his AFC counterpart, David Patterson.

“The talks have been about talks,” Granger said, adding that “we have not yet had any substantive talks”.

Region 5 needs bigger budget for capital works – Chairman

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he Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) says it needs more funds through the National Budget to service the region.

This is according to Regional Chairman Bindrabhan Bisnauth. The remarks were made last Tuesday as the administration held its 2014 yearend press conference at the Regional Boardroom, Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice. According to the Regional Chairman, the budgeting system only allows the administration to increase its allotment for spending under any heading by a small percentage.

Bisnauth noted that in 2014 the administration spent $318 million on capital works for the entire region, but the greater portion of it had to be given to the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMM/ADA) for its Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) programme in the region.

With what was left, the administration said, it carried out work throughout the region. “The administration took a conscious decision to improve those roads from fair weather and in some cased crusher-run surfaces to make them asphaltic.” Bisnauth explained that the focus was on outlying areas and farm to mar-

ket roads with $7.6 million being spent on the Esau and Jacob Road in the Mahaicony River area. Another $4.5 million was spent to upgrade the Harbour Spoon Road, which is mostly used by fisher folk.

While praising the farmers of the region who were responsible for more than 90 per cent of its economic activity, Bisnauth said the administration had to use funds from its current budget programme, under agriculture for which $203 million was budgeted to carry out need rehabilitation work on one of the most important roads in the region – the Branch Road at Burma. Only 500 feet of that road could have been rehabilitated.

Burma Branch Road remains a problem

“The Burma Branch Road still remains a main problem for us, I don’t know when and how we can acquire all the money to do the entire road at one instance, but with the money that was available to us we did 500 feet of paved concrete road. That is far from sufficient for the needs of the farmers and residents in there,” Bisnauth told reporters.

The Burma Branch Road is the most used road by farmers of that region. It is the only access road to the major rice milling facility in the region – Persaud’s Rice

Milling Complex and also the only access route to the only rice research station in Guyana. That facility is at the end of the road. “We cannot do the entire road, but we are doing it in sections as we see fitting,” the Chairman noted.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Ministry is undertaking additional work on that important road. The Region Five Administration had requested $450 million in its 2014 budget proposal to rehabilitate the Burma Road but was only granted limited funds. The region has requested the same sum again to be allocated from the 2015 National Budget for the Burma Road.

Meanwhile, other works done under the region’s capital programme include the Cotton Tree School Road and the Central Mahaicony wharf, which was also rehabilitated to the tune of $12.8 million. “The wharf at Mahaicony is the discharge point for our Amerindian brothers from Moraikobai; those people depend on logging as a means of livelihood and as such, we did complete renovation of the wharf,” Bisnauth said.

The facility is also used by rice farmers to get their produce to the factory. To date, the administration has completed 99.4 per cent of its capital work programme for 2014.

T&HD ferries back to normal schedules

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he Transport & Harbours Department (T&HD) Ferry Vessels Malali, Kanawan and Sabanto are now able to operate on their normal schedules on the ParikaWakenaam-Supenaam route after a three-year hiatus.

This is a direct result of the recently-concluded dredging exercise of

the Chalmers area in the Essequibo River by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), a release from T&HD said.

The Kanawan and Sabanto which ply the Parika -Supenaam route will now depart each stelling three times daily at 06:00h, 11:00h, and 16:00h. This was not possible prior to the dredging operations con-

ducted by MARAD. The Dredge “STEVE N” had commenced dredging of the Chalmers area on September 17, 2014 and concluded on November 30, 2014. This exercise was part of MARAD’s plan to dredge and open up the shallow areas of the Essequibo River so that ships can operate freely.

Beres, Romain deliver to umbrella-laden crowd

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Romain Virgo during his energetic performance

everal bouts of rain early in the evening did not stop the thousands of Guyanese who turned out to the National Stadium – albeit with umbrellas for the first big concert of the year, which featured Romain Virgo with Beres Hammond headlining.

At the end of the night, it was clear that Romain had added a couple thousand persons to his fan base as he managed to get the crowd into an emotional frenzy as he belted out song after song in near perfection.

The young Jamaican artiste arrived on stage just about 00:40h and quickly had the crowd in his palm with some majestic renditions of songs from his three albums. As is known, Romain has a penchant for doing Reggae-inspired covers of hit Pop and R&B songs and his delivery of those did not disappoint.

For instance, his cover of R Kelly’s “When A Woman Loves” was a sure hit as it sent the female section of the audience in fits of screaming as he managed a pitch perfect delivery that might just have given the original singer some stiff competition.

After recognising that a woman’s love was indeed

powerful, Romain went on to pay tribute to the love of a man, with Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman”, which was definitely one of his biggest hits.

Ironically enough, his

see the vast majority take out umbrellas and continue to dance to the sounds of DJ Energy.

Then just before the 02:00h, the legendary Beres Hammond took to the stage and his energy reverberated through the crowd as he delivered classic after classic.

Songs such as “Who Say”, which is originally a duet with imprisoned Reggae legend Buju Banton, did more than move the crowd as they hung onto each last syllable that left the throat of Beres.

The Reggae singer known in particular for his lovers’ rock and soulful voice surely did not disappoint with his energetic performance of several other hit songs including “Putting Up Resistance” which sent fists into the air. Then hands searched for waists and bodies for company when Beres delved deep down and came up with his lovers’ specials.

The Guyanese performers who had appeared earlier in the evening did not disappoint with Jackie Hanover

Beres Hammond was certainly double trouble

rendition of this song at a competition helped catapult him to Reggae stardom in his younger days. Other songs that helped make the night what it was included his covers of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” and Adele’s “Don’t You Remember”.

After Romain’s performance, it started to rain.

While a small section of the crowd ran for shelter, it was utterly surprising to

debuting the live performance of a song that was released on New Year’s Day. The track speaks of Jackie’s trials growing up and where she is now. Super Ray, the one-man band, effortlessly entertained the crowd for well over 30 minutes with humorous remixes of popular songs and well-delivered renditions of others.

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Alleged robber shot dead by Police Dynamic Airways introduces Guyanese A flight attendants

Roraima Airways CEO, Captain Gerry Gouveia speaks to the media

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or the first time since beginning operations here in Guyana, Dynamic Airways on Sunday presented its crew members among them, the first batch of Guyanese flight attendants who underwent training in June.

At the Roraima Airways Lounge at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), nine of the 25 Guyanese cabin attendants were introduced to the media, after flying from the John F Kennedy Airport to Guyana Sunday morning with 220 passengers.

In June last year, some 400 Guyanese turned up at the Roraima Duke Lodge hotel in Kingston, Georgetown to be interviewed for the post of flight attendants, after the air service provider announced that it would be commencing operations in Guyana. Of the 400 interviewed, 50 were shortlisted, 25 of whom commenced

the United States and today they are Federal Authority Aviation [FAA) certified...”

Captain John McHugh, one of the airline’s pilots, at the press conference, praised the cabin staff, pointing out that they were among the best he has seen in his 30odd years of flying.

“Overwhelming”

Flight attendant Sheena De Agrella, speaking on behalf of her colleagues, said the experience thus far has been “overwhelming”.

The remaining 25 selected will soon undergo training, Gouveia reported.

Meanwhile, Gouveia said Dynamic Airways will continue to offer outstanding services to its customers.

Notwithstanding the recent hiccups the airline experienced, Gouveia noted that it would continue the momentum it began building since commencing operations last November.

Pilot for Dynamic Airways, Captain John McHugh in the aircraft’s cockpit

two weeks of training in the United States.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roraima Airways, Captain Gerry Gouveia said the first batch of Guyanese cabin attendants have embarked on an “exciting career”. He said since June, the flight attendants were put through months of “intense” training, travelling across the world to countries including the Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and India. Based on reports, he exclaimed, the Guyanese have represented their country well.

“These young people are the crème of the crop. They have completed training in

“Unfortunately, those flights were cancelled on the two most significant days on the calendar, Christmas Eve Day and Old Year’s Day and for that I cannot tell you how saddened we are and express our sincerest apology,” Gouveia said.

The cancellation, he related, was done for safety reasons and he again apologised for the inconvenience caused. Some persons sought a refund, he related; while some customers have already received such, others will soon receive their refund.

Gouveia said nonetheless, the air service provider “made a difference this

Christmas, a difference for thousands of Guyanese that while our shortcomings are public knowledge, we have made a positive impact on this market”.

According to Gouveia, of the 40 flights scheduled by the airline, only two were cancelled.

Since recommencing operations here in November, some 6000 passengers have flown with the airline, Gouveia reported. The airline has created an environment of “stable airfare”, while travel costs in the industry dropped some 22 per cent on average. He said as a direct result of the airline’s operations here, it has been historically proven that more persons this year travelled to Guyana in December, than in any other year.

“Dynamic Airways continue to be the only carrier which is not charging for a second bag, allowing Guyanese to shop and travel with a lot more ease,” Gouveia told media operatives.

The aircraft on which the flight attendants arrived, was scheduled to take off at 17:30h, but left some 30 minutes later, as pilots were awaiting clearance from the United States.

n outing with friends turned tragic on Sunday evening when a young man was shot at close range by a plainclothes policeman during what eyewitnesses described as a fight, but police said was a robbery at the SoesdykeLinden Highway Junction, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The dead man has been identified as Ryan Couchman, 29, of Diamond New Housing Scheme, EBD. He was reportedly shot three times to his body by his attacker who was subsequently taken into Police custody at the Grove Police Station.

In an official statement police said that investigations are being conducted into an incident that occurred at about 19:00h in which an armed policeman in plain clothes was attacked and robbed of his gold jewellery by three men at Soesdyke, EBD. During the robbery the policeman, who was being repeatedly assaulted by the perpetrators, discharged a round which fatally wounded one of the men. The two accomplices managed to escape. The injured policeman is receiving medical treatment at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, EBD. The statement added. Police said Couchman is known to the police and has been previously charged on a number of occasions for robbery under arms.

Meanwhile, information

Dead: Ryan Couchman

reaching the Guyana Times revealed that Couchman and friends were at the Splashmin’s Fun Park and left some time after 18:00h for home, but stopped at a popular bar at the SoesdykeLinden Highway Junction to take a few drinks. While there, an argument broke out which escalated into a scuffle among a group of men. One of the men who were involved in the fight reportedly left the scene, went to his car, collected a gun and returned. An eyewitness told the Guyana Times that the suspect walked up to Couchman and pumped three bullets into his chest and abdomen.

Couchman fell to the ground, and after a few minutes, he was picked up and taken to the Diamond

Diagnosis Centre (officially East Demerara Regional Hospital), but died on the way there. Anil, the man who assisted Couchman to the hospital, said that blood was everywhere. He noted that when they picked up Couchman, they knew he was not going to make it due to the fact he had lost a lot of blood and where he had been shot. He added that moments after arriving at the hospital, the doctors pronounced Couchman dead.

His family members rushed to the medial institution as they received the news of the shooting.

Meanwhile, relatives said the father of two was reportedly shot by a Policeman. “The guy who shot him is either a Police or he got a Police friend,” a family member disclosed to the Guyana Times. “We don’t know, it’s what we hear. I get a phone call from a friend that hear what happened, so I come out to see how much of it is true,” his wife, Natasha Couchman, stated. The Guyana Times understands that the men allegedly involved in the incident were arrested and taken to the Grove Police Station but efforts to get more information from the Police Station proved futile.

Couchman, who operates a dredge, leaves to mourn his wife and two children, one of whom will be celebrating their third birthday on January 6.

Local Govt Ministry honours staff for dedication

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he Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development hosted an appreciation and award ceremony for the Ministry’s staff and those of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) on December 31, 2014.

The ceremony, which was organised by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker, saw employees being rewarded for their years of service and commitment to their jobs by the Minister, Permanent Secretary Collin Croal and Deputy Permanent Secretary Abena Moore.

As a result of an overall assessment of the performance of employees and commitment to their work, 67 workers including 47 from 24 NDCs from Regions number 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 along with 40 from within the Ministry were issued tokens of appreciation for long service, commencing from 15 years and up, and for their commitment to the successful implementation of the Ministry’s programmes.

Minister Whittaker extended heartfelt gratitude to the staff for the excellent service they have provided over the years. He also commended the employees for “finding satisfaction in their jobs, as well as their eagerness to share knowledge they acquired over the years”. The Minister encouraged his employees “to improve the quality of service which will be provided to the people within the NDCs across Guyana” in 2015. He emphasised on the need to sustain the efforts of the one billion dollars Clean-Up My Country Programme.

He also pointed out that “NDCs should make maximum utilisation of

A typist clerk receives her token from Local Government Minister, Norman Whittaker

the brush cutters so that their purposes will be more visible by ensuring that roadside parapets and public spaces are kept clean”.

He said citizens need to be more responsible when disposing of their waste and urged employees “to arrest this decadence that pervades in some sections of our society where people continue to dump in open spaces”.

Further, the Minister also called on the representatives from the Local Authority to place emphasis on the sanitation of communities where persons should “desist from carrying out cattle and poultry rearing activities in

residential areas” which pollute the air and water. In addition, he urged representatives “to address the issue of noise nuisance in the communities.”

“One of the prime measures of success has to be the timeliness and the success of implementing the Ministry’s plans, policies and development programmes. Our success depends on the large measure of your contribution”.

He added that while citizens depended on Central Government for funding, “the human resources whom you provide are integral and equally important for the efficient and effective administration of our local authorities”.

(GINA)

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guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

Regional

Haiti health officials deny Mexico missing students: reports of first Ebola case 10 more Police officers held M

Haiti’s Public Health Minister, Dr Florence D Guillaume

H

ealth officials have dismissed reports that the first case of Ebola has been detected in the country.

On Saturday, Haiti’s Public Health Minister, Dr Florence D Guillaume, told the Haitian Caribbean News Network that the reports of Ebola being detected in the vicinity of Petite Riviere de

l’Artibonite, in the northern region of the country are “totally false”.

“There are ill-intentioned people spreading such rumours,” stated Guillaume who is also acting Prime Minister.

According to Guillaume, the depoliticisation of the health sector is “an essential principle for the restora-

tion of trust and confidence in the response to provide to individuals who require care and services for prevention, maintaining or the restoration of their health in case of illness.”

The Health Ministry has called on the population “to remain calm and to respect all disclosed prevention regulations while making the duty, if any were needed, to reassure everyone of the effectiveness of the vigilance system in place to reduce significantly the risk of contamination of our country”.

Ebola is an infectious and generally fatal disease marked by fever and severe internal bleeding, spread through contact with infected body fluids.

There is no known cure for the Ebola virus which has killed more than 8000 people mainly in West Africa. (CMC)

Cuban migrant dies as boat capsizes off Cayman Islands

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Cuban migrant drowned after a makeshift vessel with four passengers overturned in rough seas off the Cayman Islands on Saturday afternoon, local officials said.

The three other Cubans, all in their 20s and 30s, made it to shore clinging to two inner tubes with the help of local surfers and were taken into custody, local officials said on Sunday.

The dead man was identified as Manuel Marino, believed to be in his 50s, Cayman officials said.

They three survivors were identified as Dailer Perez Arresoitia, 27; Diosul Alarcon Barrero, 37; and Lety Sanchez Fonseca, 33,

all from Santa Cruz del Sur in the eastern province of Camaguey.

Local Police had been watching the 18-foot wooden sailboat off the coast of Grand Cayman during the day. The island lies southwest of Cuba, between it and the Central American mainland.

Cubans fleeing their country have been heading in increasing numbers to Central America by sea and then making a long journey overland to reach the United States.

Cuba blames Washington’s “wet foot, dry foot policy” for encouraging migrants to risk their lives.

Under the policy, Cuban migrants who make it onto US

soil are allowed to remain.

Those intercepted at sea are turned back.

Cuba and the US made a historic announcement on December 17 to renew diplomatic relations, but the agreement made no mention about any changes to immigration policies.

US officials say more than 16,000 Cubans arrived without visas at the border with Mexico last year, the highest number in a decade.

The Cayman Islands Government recently met with Cuban authorities to review an existing migration accord, under which Cubans who land in the Cayman Islands are usually repatriated. (Excerpt from Reuters)

exican authorities investigating the disappearance of 43 student teachers in Guerrero state have arrested a further 10 municipal Police officers.

Around 90 people in total, including 58 Police officers, have been detained so far. The students disappeared in September after clashes with Police in the city of Iguala.

National prosecutors say Police handed them to crim-

inal gangs who murdered them and burnt their bodies.

Parents of the students dispute this, arguing the authorities are hiding what happened to them.

The remains of only one student, Alexander Mora, have been identified so far.

They were found near a rubbish dump where criminal gang members say the students were taken to be shot and their bodies burnt.

Members of the gang said they killed the 43 and

burned their bodies after they were told the students belonged to a rival gang.

The relatives of the other 42 missing students say they will not give up hope of finding them alive until forensic evidence proves they are dead.

The slow pace of the initial investigation into their disappearance and the collusion it has highlighted between local authorities and drug gangs have led to mass protests across Mexico. (BBC

News)

No staying put for Sir Hilary in new job

U

niversity of The?West Indies (UWI) Vice Chancellor-designate Sir Hilary Beckles said he was keen to take up his new position, which is based at the Mona Campus in Jamaica.

But the Barbadian, who has headed the Cave Hill Campus for the past 12 years, said he would definitely not be staying in Jamaica every day, though he said the land of wood and water was his “second home”.

He told the Sunday Sun he would be focused on moving between the three campuses as he tried to bridge the perceived divide between the Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Jamaica physical campuses.

Speaking against suggestions that he wanted to remain in Barbados from which he would run the three campuses and the Open Campus, Sir Hilary said: “I will be relocating to the Vice-Chancery in Mona but I am not going to be there every day of the month. I am going to be spending a week at Mona, a week at St

Sir Hilary Beckles

Augustine, a week at Cave Hill and do my best to have the Vice Chancellor’s presence to help the principals tighten the governance.”

He dismissed suggestions that a new office was being constructed at Cave Hill for him.

“At the moment the Vice

Chancellor has an office in the building where I reside . . . . But I have been principal here for 12 years and as you would appreciate, it might be politic for the Vice Chancellor to come out of the building and give the new principal a chance to fill out the building. (Excerpt from Nation

News)

TT: Family fears Dana WTO extends programme to Seetahal case will go cold help Caribbean trade

T

he World Trade Organisation (WTO) says the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), a multi-donor programme that helps the poorest countries, including the Caribbean, will have its mandate extended into a new phase.

The WTO said the EIF Steering Committee made the decision.

“Trade can be an effective tool for economic growth and poverty reduction when the right conditions exist,” said WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo, in addressing the Committee.

“The EIF was estab-

lished precisely to help [Less Developed Countries] LDCs create those conditions,” he added.

The EIF Steering Committee, which includes representatives of all LDCs and the donor community as well as EIF partner agencies, decided to extend the mandate of the programme into a second phase, starting from 2016.

The Steering Committee urged the EIF to build on the achievements of the first phase while addressing the need for reforms in key areas in order to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of the programme.

The WTO said the EIF is currently helping 50 of the poorest countries worldwide.

The WTO is one of six partner agencies of the programme and also hosts the Executive Secretariat.

Azevêdo stressed that the programme is “making a difference on the ground through increased Private Sector development and employment in some of the poorest countries.

“There is no other programme that supports LDCs to address all aspects of their trade capacity in this way – and that puts the LDCs themselves in the driver’s seat,” he said. (Excerpt

from CMC)

E

xactly nine months ago yesterday, Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal was ambushed and assassinated in Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain, while on her way home. With this anniversary in mind, Seetahal’s family and friends are now “extremely concerned” that the Police investigation into her murder may have gone cold.

Seetahal’s sister, Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) head Susan Francois, Saturday said the family was worried that the investigations would fall off the Police radar having continued into another year.

“It has been nine months,” Francois said.

“The family is extremely

concerned that we have not been apprised of any progress leading to the arrest of the person or persons involved in this.” Francois also said the family was initially informed of the progress of the Police investigations, but has since been kept out of the loop. “We have not heard anything for quite some time,” she said, adding that the investigators used to meet with the family “from time to time” but no longer did.

The investigations were initially headed by former Assistant Commissioner of Police Wayne Dick, but have since been transferred to Acting Deputy Commissioner Glenn Hackett. Francois said she

was not even aware if the person with responsibility for heading the investigation had been changed. “The family was not informed of any such transfer. We really do not know what is the status of the investigation,” she said.

The Sunday Guardian understands that Seetahal’s family is meeting next week to decide on their next course of action.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, former lead investigator Wayne Dick, and current investigator on the case Acting Superintendent of Police Kenrick Edwards have described the investigation as “sensitive” and “at a critical point”. (Excerpt from TT Guardian)

monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

Car bomb targeting Somali security forces kills four civilians

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car bomb targeting security officials killed four civilians in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Sunday, a Government official said.

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the blast, saying it was targeting “pro-US forces” and that it had killed a number of Government soldiers.

“The suicide car bomb killed four civilians and injured several others,” Mohamed Yusuf, the spokesman for the Security Ministry, was quoted as saying on state-run radio.

“The intelligence forces got the information in advance and they were about to capture the car bomb.

However, as they pursued, the suicide car bomb hit a civilian car.”

Residents said shooting followed the blast and they could see smoke and dust rising into the air after the explosion.

Al Shabaab is seeking to topple the Western-backed Mogadishu

The wreckage of destroyed cars is seen at the scene of an explosion in Waabari district of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, January 4

Government and impose its own strict version of Islamic law in the country.

Sunday’s attack showed the group was still capable of carrying out raids in the capital even as it is losing territory in rural areas to African Union peacekeepers who launched two major offensives in 2014.

“We were behind the attack. We

targeted the forces that work for the US and we killed a number of them,” Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman told Reuters.

In the past, al Shabaab has exaggerated the number of soldiers it has killed, while officials have played down losses. (Reuters)

Pope Francis names 20 new cardinals

P

ope Francis has named 20 new cardinals, including churchmen from Tonga, Ethiopia and Myanmar.

Fifteen of the new appointees are under 80, making them eligible to enter a conclave to elect the Pope’s successor.

Pope Francis said the appointment of cardinals from 14 countries from every continent in the world showed the Vatican’s “inseparable link” with Catholic churches around the world.

They will be formally installed on February 14.

Pope Francis also announced on Sunday that he would lead a meeting of all cardinals to discuss reform of the Roman Curia, the Vatican’s administrative body, on February 12 and 13.

The list of names in-

cludes five retired bishops who will join the College of Cardinals, but are over 80 and so cannot take part in a papal election.

It is the second time Pope Francis has announced the appointment of new cardinals from a wide variety of countries.

Last January, he named 19 new additions, including churchmen from Haiti and Burkina Faso, which a Vatican spokesman said reflected his commitment to the poor.

Appointing cardinals is the most powerful way for the Pope to shape the Catholic Church, says the BBC’s Religious Affairs Correspondent Caroline Wyatt. He has now chosen over a quarter of all cardinals able to vote for the next Pope. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Captured Greek guerrilla was Bad weather forces halt to preparing to attack prison – Police AirAsia jet search

F

ugitive Marxist guerrilla Christodoulos Xiros was preparing an armed assault on one of Athens’ main prisons when he was recaptured on Saturday near the capital, Police said on Sunday.

Xiros, 56, a former member of the defunct guerrilla group November 17, had absconded while on leave from prison almost a year ago, to the embarrassment of the authorities.

Police Chief Dimitris Tsaknakis said Police had found eight Kalashnikov rifles, one grenade launcher, three handguns, a silencer, bags of explosives, switches and cables in the home Xiros had rented in the town of Anavissos.

They also found sketches of how the arsenal would have been hidden in a van that Xiros planned to use in

B

Greek fugitive Christodoulos Xiros is escorted by anti-terrorism Police officers to the prosecutor in Athens on January 4

the attack.

“The findings point to a big hit on the Korydallos Prison, aiming to free prisoners. Based on notes we found, the attack would have taken place in the next days,” Tsaknakis said.

Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said Police had “averted a terrorist attack”.

Xiros himself was

brought before a prosecutor on Sunday, handcuffed and wearing a bulletproof vest, to be charged with running a terrorist group and possession of weapons.

Xiros is already serving multiple life terms for his role in Greece’s most lethal guerrilla group, which killed Greek, US and British diplomats before being dismantled in 2002. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda Zia in lockdown ahead of protest

S

ecurity forces in Bangladesh have stopped Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia from leaving her party offices and banned all protests in the capital.

Police said the ban, which began in Dhaka at 17:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Sunday, was to prevent violence.

Both Zia’s party and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party had planned to hold rival demonstrations today.

Bangladesh has long been dominated by Hasina’s rivalry with Zia, who led the country from 1996 to 2001.

Today is the first anniversary of an election that was boycotted by Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who said it would be rigged.

ad weather has forced divers trying to identify sunken wreckage from a crashed AirAsia passenger jet to abort their mission.

Separately, Indonesian officials said on Sunday they had not yet picked up any signals from the lost aircraft’s “black box”.

Indonesia’s meteorological agency on Sunday said seasonal tropical storms probably contributed to last week’s crash.

Weather has persistently hampered efforts to recover bodies and find the cockpit voice and flight data recorders that may explain why the Airbus A320-200 plunged into the sea.

“Conditions did not allow diving operations,” the head of Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, Fransiskus Bambang Soelistyo, said in Jakarta.

“Our priority is to dive in the location we suspect parts of the plane to be.”

Flight QZ8501 crashed into the Java Sea about 40 minutes after taking off last Sunday from Indonesia’s second-largest city Surabaya en route for Singapore.

There were no survivors.

The main focus of the search is about 90 nautical miles off the coast of Borneo island, where five large objects believed to be parts of the plane, the largest about 18 metres long, have been pinpointed by ships using sonar. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Israel eyes more punitive measures

I

srael is weighing its options for further punishing Palestinians after freezing millions in tax revenues as a first response to their attempt to join the International Criminal Court.

Palestinian leaders responded to the tax freeze by accusing Israel of trying to starve their people as a form of mass punishment.

The Palestinian move to join The Hague-based court sets the scene for potential legal action against

Israel for war crimes, in a bid to put pressure on Israel to pull out of the territories.

But the request to join the court, formally presented on Friday, angered Israel which quickly moved to freeze the transfer of US$127 million in tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

“The Palestinian Authority has chosen to take a path of confrontation with Israel, and we will not sit idly by,” Israeli

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Cabinet Ministers on Sunday, pledging to put up a vigorous defence of Israel’s soldiers.

“We will not let Israel Defence Forces soldiers and officers be dragged to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.”

Saeb Erekat, Palestine’s chief negotiator, denounced the freezing of the transfer as “piracy”, yet Israeli officials warned it was only the first in a series of punitive steps. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Homes destroyed in Australia bushfire

BNP leader Khaleda Zia (left) and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are bitter rivals

Zia was due to lead a mass BNP demonstration against the Government in Dhaka, but was prevented from leaving her offices on Saturday evening.

“She has been confined in her office. Police have cordoned off the area and barricaded [the] road. She wanted

to see a sick party colleague around midnight, but they did not let her out,” an aide told the AFP news agency.

There were protests nearby, with a bus being set alight close to the offices, and local TV said Police had detained several people.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

M

ore than 30 homes are feared destroyed by bushfire in the state of South Australia, with officials warning that lives are in danger even as weather conditions improve.

The warning came on Sunday as firefighters continued to battle an outof-control blaze which broke out on Friday in the Mount Lofty Ranges east of Adelaide.

The state’s Country Fire

Service said the intense fire was continuing to burn in all directions, threatening lives.

But a cool change on Sunday is expected to help them work to contain the fire ahead of a forecast rise in temperatures again on Wednesday.

“I can confirm that 12 homes have been destroyed and it’s feared that a further 20 homes have also been lost,” South Australian Prime Minister Jay

Weatherill told reporters.

“However, the conditions for firefighting have improved. The weather is cooler and the weather conditions will permit aerial firefighting.”

More than 11,000 hectares have been burnt in the Adelaide Hills, an area in the Mount Lofty Ranges with a population of about 40,000. It is dotted with scenic villages and known for its farming produce and wineries. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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news

monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

VOX POPULI Ann Ramsaywack – Senior Confidential Secretary at the Guyana Oil Company Limited “I think that in order for the crime rate to go down, we need the Police Officers to be more active in their jobs. It doesn’t really make sense to create more laws; what needs to be done is to have the existing laws enforced.”’

John Williams “Well, now, there are a lot of things that need to be done.

It’s not just something one person can do, but we need someone to look at the reason why people commit crimes and then address that. In one instance, it may be because people got to survive so they got to thief for money. Another could be they head ain’t good, so I don’t know, somebody got to do something. But it’s not an easy thing; it’s going to be hard.”

Godfrey Benn “We need more jobs. They need to find better jobs for the youths and making a more youthful programme with activities so the youths can be active, especially educationally wise so we can be able to reduce the crime rate in Guyana.”

Aftab Baksh – Driver “By introducing back the death penalty: it is a stiffer penalty and it will scare off people and that’s what I think is the only remedy.”

PUBLIC OPINION

How can Guyana’s crime rate be reduced?

N

Christie said the Plan is an important part of the Reform Process in our Community “and we stand to be judged both by its success and the actions we take in its implementation. In repositioning our Community, as this Plan seeks to do, we will be aiming at making it more resilient to the internal and external factors which hinder our efforts at attaining sustainable development in a rapidly changing world.”

He said there can be no more vivid demonstration of the dynamic nature of the global environment that we face than the recent

Andre Mason – Labourer “Well, the Police, they need raise of pay and these are important things the Government should look at, because they need motivation because you’ll find that you will get more out of the officers.

You also need to provide jobs, not just foreign investors coming in and employing their own people, so you can’t afford that because you can’t do that in another man’s country.”

Michael Hope – Father “It all depends. To me, people using more drugs and more alcohol and it irritating their mind and behaviour and everything, so like that type of actions causing the most crime in this country. So, I think in order for the crime to go down, we need to address those issues, especially with the younger generation, because it starts with them.”

Andre Lee “Well, first of all, you got to get jobs; you have to create jobs. That’s the first step you have to make: it’s the foundation. People need to be working. For instance, like Buxton and them areas, it got bad eggs yes, but it get good ones in the area too, so if you go on an interview and they hear you from there, then they won’t give you the job, so it’s stereotyping.”

Jonette Chase – Teacher “Well, first of all, if we try to keep our youths in school and try to educate them as much as possible, it will enable them to stop seeking different directions in terms of gaining money. So they need to be educated, it comes back to education.”

Totoram Jagdeo – DJ “I’m not sure; I think these people need to think about others and stop being lazy and go get a job. Look how much lil’ jobs it get all about the place, go find yourself a job, create your own business. I think it’s just people who are lazy and don’t like see people progress, so they just set out to thief people’s hard-earned money. ..if you look, most of the murders happen due to robbery.”

Thomas Noble – Retired Police Officer “Through education, they must inform the children on what not to do. The Force has good policies now. They are going into communities where they are trying to redirect youths, so you see most of these crimes are being done by young ones, so they (Police) are trying to redirect youths, so more education needs to be done and soon we will see a change.”

Shameer Mohamed – Nalini’s Salon personnel “We can’t do anything about it. Crime will always happen, so it don’t matter what you do, there’s no hope.”

“Community will embark on new journey” – new Caricom Chairman ew Chairman of the Caribbean C o m m u n i t y (Caricom), Perry G. Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, said that in 2015, the Community will embark on a new journey as it prepares to implement its first Strategic Plan.

In as new year address as he begins his six-month tenure as Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom, Prime Minister Christie characterised the fiveyear Plan as a “bold step that demonstrates our determination to provide the best options for the growth and development of our people”.

I SAY...

Chairman of Caricom, Prime Minister Perry Christie

rapprochement between Cuba and the United States. “Those of us who have consistently called for an end to the isolation of our sister Caribbean country and, in particular, the cessation of the economic, trade and financial embargo are heartened by the initiatives announced by President Obama and President Castro. In my view this rapprochement underscores the urgency of a summit between the American President and the Heads of the Community.” According to Christie this year

also marks the beginning of negotiations for the United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda which seeks to find a more effective route to the sustainable development of all States.

This is of keen interest to our Community as it is important that the concerns of small vulnerable states like ours must be taken into account and acted upon, the chairman said. “We have taken action in this regard by ensuring that our concerns and interests are part of the platform for the negotiations agreed to last September in Samoa by the grouping of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).”

“As I assume the Chair of Caricom for the next six months, it will be my duty to work with my colleague Heads and the SecretaryGeneral to lay the foundations for the implementation of our Strategic Plan. Of particular importance will be the high priority areas identified for focused implementation over the next five years. These will be critical as it is imperative we find the means to reverse the dire economic situation with which so many of us are faced.”

news

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monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Canadian aircraft joins Ethical practice search for missing plane E A

Canadian aircraft attached to CGX Oil Company on Sunday joined local efforts in locating an aircraft which vanished in the vast jungle in Region Eight over a week ago.

Guyana Times was told that the Canadian aircraft has been contracted

by GCX on oil exploration activities. It is reportedly equipped with a magnetic reader, which will greatly aid in the search, officials of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority have confirmed.

On Saturday three teams were flown into Mahdia, from Timehri by Guyana Defence Force Skyvan to join the search for the Britten Norman Islander and individuals that went missing on Sunday.

Ten members from the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC); eight ranks from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Special Forces and eight Line Cutters from the St. Cuthbert’s Mission were inserted by helicopter into an ‘area of high interest’ to commence ground searches

Members of the search party about to be deployed

bordered by the North Fork and Blackwater rivers.

Standard ‘three man’ teams from GFC and GDF have mapped a route to systematically comb the mountainous terrain in search for the twin engine aircraft, pilot Nicky Persaud and loader David Bisnauth.

“The teams are equipped with modern communication equipment inclusive of satellite telephones; handheld

radios; global positioning instruments, and are in regular contact with the Rescue Coordination sub-Centre at Mahdia,” the Transport Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Aneka Edwards disclosed.

Simultaneously, aerial examination continues with the use two helicopters which are supported by two fixed wing aircraft, not only in the ‘area of high inter-

est’ but along the pre-determined grids which were prepared by the RCC, Timehri Control Tower.

At 16:30h the search was discontinued due to bad weather on Saturday but continues today. The area of high probability was based on reports of sightings in an area above the highest peak, east of Deer Creek, approximately 10 miles, southwest of Mahdia.

Global wage growth stagnates, lags behind pre-crisis rates

W

age growth around the world slowed in 2013 to 2.0 per cent, compared to 2.2 per cent in 2012, and has yet to catch up to the pre-crisis rates of about 3.0 per cent, according to the ILO’s Global Wage Report 2014/15.

Even this modest growth in global wages was driven almost entirely by emerging G20 economies, where wages increased by 6.7 per cent in 2012 and 5.9 per cent in 2013. By contrast, average wage growth in developed economies had fluctuated around 1 per cent per year since 2006 and then slowed further in 2012 and 2013 to only 0.1 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively.

“Wage growth has slowed to almost zero for the developed economies as a group in the last two years, with actual declines in wages in some,” said Sandra Polaski, the ILO’s Deputy DirectorGeneral for Policy. “This has weighed on overall economic performance, leading to sluggish household demand in most of these economies and the increasing risk of deflation in the Eurozone,” she added.

Kristen Sobeck, economist at the ILO and one of the authors of the report observed that, “the last decade shows a slow convergence of average wages in emerging and developing coun-

ILO Deputy Director-General for Policy Sandra Polaski

tries towards those of developed economies, but wages in developed economies remain on average about three times higher than in the group of emerging and developing economies.”

In the Middle East, wages appear to have advanced by 3.9 per cent, but only by 0.9 per cent in Africa, however the data for these regions is still incomplete.

Labour productivity – the value of goods and services produced per person employed – continues to outstrip wage growth in developed economies, including in the most recent years.

This continues a longer trend which briefly paused during the financial crisis

years of 2008 and 2009. The growing gap between wages and productivity has translated into a declining share of GDP going to labour while an increasing share goes to capital, especially in developed economies. This trend means that workers and their households are getting a smaller share of economic growth while the owners of capital are benefitting more.

Roots of growing inequality

The report includes a detailed analysis of recent trends in household income inequality and the role played by wages in these trends. Wages are a major source of household income in developed, emerging and

developing countries alike, particularly for middle income households, while the top 10 per cent and bottom 10 per cent depend somewhat more on other sources of income.

In developed economies, wages frequently represent 70 to 80 per cent of household income in households with at least one member of working age. In emerging and developing economies, where self-employment is more frequent, the contribution of wages to household income is usually smaller, ranging from about 50 to 60 per cent in Mexico, the Russian Federation, Argentina, Brazil and Chile to about 40 per cent in Peru, or 30 per cent in Vietnam.

“In many countries, inequality starts in the labour market, and particularly in the distribution of wages and employment,” said Rosalia Vazquez-Alvarez, econometrician and wage specialist at the ILO, also an author of the report.

Recent inequality trends have been mixed, but in a majority of countries where inequality has increased, such as in the United States or in Spain, changes in wages and employment have been the dominant force.

However where inequality has been reduced, as in Brazil, Argentina and the Russian Federation, wages

thics is one of the biggest things that seem to be missing in our daily lives. It is important to realize that in order for us to earn trust, we must practice ethics every day in our lives, whether that is in business or even in our regular lives that allow people to trust us.

If we are in a business setting, being fair to employees is a good example of ethical Narine Dat Sookram practice. This can actually help to grow a business tremendously. In fact, any business that is true to its policies when it comes to customer satisfaction has the potential to develop a strong following.

I am sure that most will agree that treating employees with a sense of fairness will build a strong workforce for any organization, which will ultimately result in more business and better customer service.

I wonder how many people think that having a good reputation for any business or even for our own selves is important for the success for any business. For some people this might not be something new, because there is an old saying that “our reputation builds our success”.

In other words when people hear of us and our business even way before knowing or dealing with us, this in itself can determine the difference between our success and failure.

Because the thing is, if people hear positive things about us ahead of time, there is a good chance that they will want to work with us.

The importance in practising ethics is that it will set a positive reputation for ourselves and our businesses which is very important because the truth is, without any sort of ethical practices, a negative reputation can quickly be developed, especially with the internet in this modernized world.

My family ran a very successful business in Guyana back in the days and I personally ran many successful businesses and projects in Canada. So I am very convinced that in other for any business to increase profits and draw more business can only be possible when we practice good ethics.

I am certain that our business will be sure to flourish if our motivation is to satisfy customers’ needs, which is done by earning trust and treating every customer fairly. One of the biggest mistakes with business owners is that the focus is on money only.

We need to be very cautious of this, because if our motivation is only about money with no regard to how people are treated, it is more likely that people will walk away from us, because all businesses are competitive these days leaving customers with lots of choices.

Please remember that a loyal customer base with a positive reputation to attract more businesses is key to make us more successful and better business leaders and a better person as a whole as we start off 2015.

For questions, comments and feedback, send them to mcnarine@rogers.com.

and increased employment have been a driving force in reducing inequality.

The report shows that women, migrants and workers in the informal economy suffer from adverse wage gaps that cannot be explained by observable characteristics, like education or experience, which should normally explain wage differences across individuals.

These wage gaps between different groups of workers also contribute to overall inequality.

The policy challenge

“Wage stagnation must be addressed as a matter of fairness and of economic growth,” said Polaski. “And because overall inequality is driven significantly by wage inequality, labour market policies are need-

ed to address it.” “While fiscal redistribution mechanisms, including taxes and social protection policies are also part of the solution,” she added, “they cannot bear the full burden of addressing inequality. A comprehensive strategy will include minimum wage policies, strengthened collective bargaining, elimination of discrimination against vulnerable groups, as well as progressive taxation polices and adequate social protection systems.”

“Better support for firms in the real economy, especially small and medium enterprises, is also needed to allow them to grow and create jobs. Many countries can do more to make credit available to them and to streamline business creation,” said Polaski.

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guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

ARCHIE

Making personal changes to your appearance or attitude (March 21- will go a long way. If you ask April 19) for what you need, you will get the response necessary to move forward. Progressive action will result in a host of positive alternatives.

ARIES

Slowly but surely, you will TAURUS pick up momentum. You may (April 20- feel energetic, but in the end, May 20) you will make mistakes and miss your mark if you overload your plate.

dilbert

Apologise if you want GEMINI (May 21- to keep the peace at home.

June 20) There are always two sides to every situation. Respect the fact that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

Stick to what you are good at doing. Starting a new venture when you still have one in the works will distract you from your ultimate goal. Use your energy wisely.

Focus on love and togethLEO erness. Do whatever is nec(July 23- essary to provide a dramatic Aug. 22) and dynamic day for someone special. Make the time you spend together memorable.

Calvin and Hobbes

Check the information VIRGO you receive before you make (Aug. 23- a decision. Changing course Sept. 22) without having all the details will result in confusion. Don’t make a choice based on someone else’s recommendation.

Rely on your resources.

LIBRA Someone who reneges on a (Sept. 23commitment will disappoint Oct. 23) you. A personal relationship will take a meaningful turn.

Make your move and make it count.

SUDOKU

Plenty of opportunities are SCORPIO on the horizon. If you reduce (Oct. 24your expenditures, you may Nov. 22) be able to get in on a lucrative venture. A long-term investment will pay off.

You will be faced with SAGITTARIUS numerous decisions. Put off (Nov. 23- making a commitment unDec. 21) til you have explored all your options. Hasty actions will be your downfall.

wednESDAY'S WORD

Wednesday's solution

Someone you know well CAPRICORN will offer the tips you need to (Dec. 22make a sound financial deciJan. 19) sion. Share your concepts and use the voice of experience to help you chart your course.

AQUARIUS

Positive action will be your (Jan. 20- best bet. Your ingenuity and Feb. 19) charisma will attract interesting and influential partners. A love relationship will take a favourable turn, leading to greater stability.

PISCES Work on developing your (Feb. 20- ideas until you are ready to March 20) present and market what you have to offer. Sharing your ideas prematurely will result in lack of interest.

monday, january 5, 2015

19

Johnson ruled out of 4th Test Man Utd through to M fourth round of FA Cup

M

anchester United overcame a gallant challenge from League One strugglers Yeovil Town before finally moving safely into the FA Cup fourth round at Huish Park.

Gary Johnson’s side rooted at the bottom of the table - belied their status by matching the Premier League superpower before quality finally told on a misty afternoon in Somerset.

United, however, had the class to avoid a potential giant-killing as Ander Herrera’s spectacular strike just after the hour and a second from £59.7m British record signing Angel Di Maria gave Louis van Gaal’s side victory.

Yeovil can be proud of their efforts and will rue a miss from Kieffer Moore that could have given the Glovers something to cling to.

United were unimpressive for large portions of the game, with Van Gaal removing both wing-backs Rafael and Luke Shaw at half-time because of injury, but this was a day where the result mattered so much more than the performance.

And ultimately this proved satisfactory for Van Gaal and United, especially as Argentine Di Maria was able to mark his move to-

Di Maria celebrates his goal

wards full fitness after a pelvic injury with a goal.

Van Gaal showed his determination to take the FA Cup seriously, believing it is United’s quickest route to success, by including captain Wayne Rooney and Radamel Falcao in his side despite a busy recent Premier League programme.

Yeovil, five points adrift of safety in League One, more than matched United but manager Johnson will know that when the big chance comes along against opposition of such superior quality, it must be taken.

And so it proved after 55 minutes when Moore, signed from Dorchester Town in the summer, could not keep his composure after Samuel

Foley’s cross landed at his feet. From close range, his finish was weak and United keeper David De Gea made an easy save.

Van Gaal introduced Di Maria for Falcao shortly after and United were soon ahead, the ball sitting up nicely for Herrera to send a spectacular dipping rightfoot effort beyond the grasp of Yeovil keeper Jed Steer.

Yeovil responded with spirit, Di Maria clearing away Joseph Edwards’ goalbound header, but United killed the tie off in the closing seconds when Rooney’s pass released the gifted Argentina attacker and he lifted his finish over Steer to send United into the next round. (BBC Sport)

itchell Johnson has been ruled out of the fourth Test against India in Sydney after complaining of hamstring soreness as the Australian management take a cautious approach ahead of the World Cup. The indications were there on Saturday that Johnson was struggling to make the final Test of the season when he did not travel to the SCG for Australia’s first training session, following a heavy workload in the first three Tests of the summer, and a decision has been taken two days out from the match.

Johnson, himself, had also spoken about bowling bowling shorter spells had he made the Sydney match.

He has been the only frontline Australian paceman to play the first three Tests and clocked up 122.2 overs for his 13 wickets at 35.53 but there remains confidence that he will be fit for the triangular one-day series involving India and England.

“Mitchell had some right

Mitchell Johnson

hamstring soreness during the Boxing Day Test and we have been closely monitoring his recovery since that match but feel he has not fully recovered.” the Cricket Australia physiotherapist, Alex Kountouris, said. “As such, he will not play in the upcoming Sydney Test match. We expect him to recover in time to play a part in the upcoming tri-series against England and India.

Coach Darren Lehmann added: “Mitchell is an important part of our plans for the remainder of our sum-

mer and we want him 100% right so won’t be taking any risks with him. We believe it is best for Mitchell to take this opportunity to freshen up and get his body fully fit ahead of the tri-series.”

Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle are the two options in the squad to replace Johnson with Starc eager for another chance, something that would maintain his on again/off again status in the Test team - he has not played consecutive Tests since the 2013 India tour.

(Cricinfo)

Warner unsure of SCG reaction after Hughes' death

Chelsea progress to fourth round of FA Cup

C

helsea were far from their best but progressed to the FA Cup fourth round at the expense of Championship Watford thanks to three second-half goals.

After a drab first half, Jose Mourinho brought on Willian and Diego Costa who provided some muchneeded spark.

Willian struck from 25 yards to give the hosts the lead while Loic Remy doubled Chelsea’s advantage with a well-taken half-volley from 12 yards.

Kurt Zouma completed the scoring, heading in Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross.

With the influential quartet of Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic, Costa and Eden Hazard not starting Jose Mourinho made eight

changes to the team which lost to Tottenham - it was perhaps no surprise the hosts did not immediately click.

But Mourinho’s men have suffered a dip in form of late, letting an eightpoint advantage in the Premier League slip.

Chelsea lacked creativity and control in midfield, with Watford, fifth in the second tier, initially reducing the Premier League coleaders to half-chances - a flick-on from a free-kick for Gary Cahill and then a glancing header from the defender.

It was no surprise to see Mourinho make changes at the break, but the Hornets’ energetic pressing and physicality continued to stifle the Blues in the early

stages of the second half.

Watford nearly took the lead when Troy Deeney’s hopeful shot deflected off Filipe Luis, narrowly missing the bottom left corner.

But within minutes, Chelsea were ahead thanks to Willian’s fabulous arrowed strike into the topright corner.

Watford initially refused to cave in, but crumbled once they fell further behind courtesy of Remy’s impressive half-volley, with the Frenchman pouncing while his team-mates appealed for a penalty for handball.

Kurt Zouma polished the script for the hosts, powerfully heading into the top corner to inflict a fifth loss in six FA Cup ties for Watford against Chelsea. (BBC Sport)

David Warner

A

ustralia batsman David Warner says he does not know how he will react when he returns to the ground at which Phillip Hughes was fatally struck.

Australia face India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the fourth Test of their series, starting on Tuesday.

Warner was fielding for New South Wales when close friend Hughes was hit by a Sean Abbott bouncer on 25 November. Hughes died two days later.

“It’s going to be tough.

I’ve got to hold back the emotions,” Warner said.

The 28-year-old dedicated his century on the opening day of the first Test of the series to Hughes, gesturing skywards when he reached three figures.

Australia won that match and have already secured the series by taking a 2-0 lead with only one Test remaining.

The hosts will be without pace bowler Mitchell Johnson, who has a hamstring injury, and Warner knows he and his team-

mates face an “emotional” time.

Australia batsman Hughes, 25, was batting at the Randwick End of the ground when he was struck.

Warner said: “I know when I go to face up at that end, I’m going to be looking down at that spot. I honestly can’t tell you how I’ll feel until I get out there.”

Australia team-mates Brad Haddin, Nathan Lyon and Shane Watson were also playing in the match during which Hughes was struck.

(BBC Sport)

20

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monday, january 5, 2015

Arsenal hold Pradeep, Herath keep Sri Lanka ahead off Hull City N

Arsenal sealed their passage into the fourth round through Alexis Sanchez’s 16th goal of the campaign

A

rsenal began their defence of the FA Cup with a hard-fought win as Hull City failed to gain a measure of revenge for defeat in last year’s final.

Per Mertesacker rose above the Hull defence to powerfully head in the opener from Alexis Sanchez’s corner.

Arsenal controlled the first half and almost doubled their lead when Hull’s Paul McShane cleared off the line.

Hull grew in confidence after half-time but Sanchez’s sharp turn and calm finish inside 18 yards sealed victory.

The Chile forward has become Arsenal’s talisman since his £35m summer move from Barcelona and another moment of quality eased any lingering fears of Hull snatching a late draw at the Emirates.

In truth, the Tigers rarely looked capable of avenging their dramatic 3-2 defeat at Wembley last May and this third-round tie

failed to match the fever and tension of last season’s showpiece.

Arsenal controlled 65% of the possession in the first half, but failed to transform their dominance into a comfortable lead against injuryhit Hull.

Tigers boss Steve Bruce was left with only 18 firstteam players available, but still managed to make 10 changes from the side which beat Everton on New Year’s Day. Hull are fighting for topflight survival and Bruce decided to freshen up his squad as he prioritises forthcoming Premier League matches against West Brom and West Ham. His changed team provided plenty of endeavour but they lacked the guile needed to hurt an Arsenal side which suffered their first defeat in six matches at Southampton on New Year’s Day. Hull raced into a 2-0 lead inside eight minutes when they met at Wembley and,

although the visitors made another high-tempo start, Arsenal were more defensively alert on this occasion.

And once skipper Mertesacker escaped Hull counterpart Curtis Davies to nod in the opener, the Gunners never looked in danger of suffering a second home FA Cup defeat in 39 matches.

Arsene Wenger’s side did lose some rhythm in the first part of the second half as Hull pressed their opponents higher up the pitch.

But they failed to seriously stretch Gunners keeper David Ospina.

England forward Theo Walcott, 24, played 75 minutes on his first Gunners start for exactly a year as he continues to make his comeback from a serious knee injury and showed brief flashes of his pacy threat.

A Santi Cazorla pass allowed Sanchez to clinically fire in as Arsenal continue their bid to become only the eighth club to retain the FA Cup. (BBC Sport)

Williams using Hopman Cup as warm-up

W

orld number one Serena Williams says she is using the soaring temperatures at the Hopman Cup in Perth to prepare for the Australian Open.

Williams will join forces with John Isner as the US take on Italy on day one of the mixed team event on Monday.

Andy Murray and Heather Watson will represent Britain, with France their first opponents.

“If anything it’s going to help me for Melbourne,” Williams said of the predicted 40C temperature on Monday.

“Perth is one of the hottest places I’ve ever played, so it will be really good for the preparation in Melbourne, which is always super hot.”

The Perth Arena roof will be shut when Williams takes on Italian Flavia Pennetta if the heat policy is enforced, or both players agree the conditions are unsafe.

World number seven

uwan Pradeep struck twice in two overs to remove the New Zealand openers after a solid opening stand had chipped the deficit down to 60 runs, before Rangana Herath’s dismissal of Ross Taylor ensured Sri Lanka stayed a step ahead of the home side.

Hamish Rutherford and Tom Latham added 75 for the first wicket - their first 50-plus stand - and scored at more than three runs an over in the morning session, but Rutherford walking into a trap saw New Zealand lose three wicket for four runs. In addition to a regular third man, Mathews had

Nuwan Pradeep struck in successive overs to remove the openers

enough to lure the batsman into a cut. Rutherford obliged

SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka 1st innings FDM Karunaratne c Neesham b Boult 16 JK Silva b Bracewell 5 KC Sangakkarac Boult b Neesham 203 HDRL Thirimanne c McCullum b Bracewell 0 AD Mathews* c †Watling b Southee 15 HAPW Jayawardene† c Neesham b Bracewell 6 LD Chandimal c †Watling b Neesham 67 KTGD Prasad c †Watling b Neesham 11 HMRKB Herath c †Watling b Boult 15 RAS Lakmal st †Watling b Craig 5 N Pradeep not out

0 Extras: (lb 4, w 6, nb 3) 13 Total: (all out; 102.1 overs) 356 Fall of wickets 1-18 (Karunaratne, 8.1 ov), 2-25 (Silva, 11.3 ov), 3-29 (Thirimanne, 13.2 ov), 4-58 (Mathews, 20.3 ov), 5-78 (Jayawardene, 25.4 ov), 6-208 (Chandimal, 69.6 ov), 7-242

removed a fielder from the slip cordon and placed him at a fine third-man position in the 27th over. Pradeep, then, cramped the batsman for room by going round the stumps and surprised him with a couple of quick bouncers.

The third delivery was short too, but just wide

(Prasad, 77.5 ov), 8-289 (Herath, 85.6 ov), 9-356 (Sangakkara, 101.6 ov), 10356 (Lakmal, 102.1 ov) Bowling: TA Boult 24-375-2, TG Southee 26-3-871, DAJ Bracewell 24-2-933, JDS Neesham 11-0-42-3, MD Craig 17.1-3-55-1 New Zealand 2nd innings TWM Latham c †Jayawardene b Pradeep 35 HD Rutherford c Chandimal b Pradeep 40 4 KS Williamson not out LRPL Taylor b Herath 0 BB McCullum* not out 14 Extras:(lb 1, w 1, nb 1) 3 Total:(3 wickets; 39 overs) 96 To batJDS Neesham, BJ Watling†, MD Craig, DAJ Bracewell, TG Southee, TA Boult Fall of wickets 1-75 (Rutherford, 26.4 ov), 2-78 (Latham, 28.5 ov), 3-79 (Taylor, 31.3 ov) Bowling: RAS Lakmal 11-1-260, N Pradeep 8-2-17-2, HMRKB Herath 11-0-17-1, KTGD Prasad 7-1-25-0, AD Mathews 2-010-0

and the thick edge carried straight to Chandimal at third man, sparking loud celebrations from the Sri Lanka fielders who knew the plan had worked to perfection. In Pradeep’s next over, Latham, who had been more solid of the two openers, attempted his first expansive shot - a drive at an angling delivery - and imme-

diately paid the price, edging it to the keeper.

As two new batsmen arrived at the crease, Pradeep and Herath ensured there were no easy runs. The sudden stop in scoring brought up another wicket, this time to an excellent delivery from Herath. Taylor was beaten in flight as he pushed forward with his hands, only to see the ball turn just enough past the outside edge and graze the outside of off stump. From 75 for 0, New Zealand were 79 for 3.

Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum batted through the remaining overs carefully to bring Sri Lanka’s lead down to 39, but the visitors had more control. New Zealand scored 23 runs in the 14 overs bowled in the second hour after the openers had added 51 in the first. Both Rutherford and Latham found regular boundaries as Sri Lanka opened with Prasad and Suranga Lakmal.

Rutherford had been lucky in the second over of the morning. In trying to leave a back of length delivery from Dhammika Prasad, he was unable to get the glove out of the way and edged it to the keeper. However, the umpire, Steve Davis, had called a front-foot no-ball immediately even though the replays suggested it was a harsh call. More good fortune came Rutherford’s way as an inside edge in Prasad’s next over rolled to the fineleg boundary. (Cricinfo)

Real’s 22-game winning run ended by Valencia Serena Williams

Eugenie Bouchard, representing Canada, suffered an early defeat as she lost 6-0 6-4 to Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic on day one of the Hopman Cup. Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, the world number six, made a solid start as she defeated Casey Dellacqua of Australia 6-2 6-3.

The 2015 season begins in earnest next week with Roger Federer and Maria

Sharapova headlining the men’s and women’s draws in Brisbane, while Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal line up at the Qatar Open in Doha.

Djokovic pulled out of an exhibition final against Andy Murray in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, and the world number one will test his fitness levels with a doubles match alongside young compatriot Filip Krajinovic on Monday. (BBC Sport)

R

eal Madrid’s club record 22-match winning run was ended

by Nicolas Otamendi’s fine header as Valencia came from behind to secure a famous victory.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty put Real in front, his 33rd goal of the season.

But Valencia made it 1-1 seven minutes into the second half through Antonio Barragan’s deflected shot.

And Otamendi then powered the ball in from a corner to leave Madrid’s place at the top of La Liga under threat with Barcelona play-

ing Real Sociedad later.

It was Real’s first defeat since they lost to city rivals and La Liga champions Atletico Madrid on 13 September.

They will concede top spot to Barcelona if the Catalans beat David Moyes’s Sociedad on Sunday night.

The result lifted Valencia, beaten just once at home all season, into the Champions League places.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side would not have envisaged that scenario when they took an early lead through Ronaldo.

After Gareth Bale had been fouled, a free-kick from Tony Kroos was flicked on

by Bale against the arm of on-loan Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo.

Ronaldo converted from the spot but then missed an excellent chance to double Real’s lead when he rounded goalkeeper Diego Alves but, from a tight angle, shot into the side netting.

Valencia had five players booked in a niggly first half but struck a post through a deflected Andre Gomes shot in stoppage time. (BBC Sport)

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21

ESPN’s Stuart Scott dies after long battle against cancer

A

ny sports fan of a certain age will always remember Stuart Scott’s catchphrases.

Scott died at age 49 after a long battle with cancer, ESPN reported on Sunday morning. That sad news brought an outpouring of grief and memories from sports fans who will remember Scott as one of the most memorable and influential “SportsCenter” anchors in ESPN’s long history.

When Scott first appeared on ESPN’s networks a little more than two decades ago, joining the company in 1993 for its launch of ESPN2, his unique style was an instant hit. He became famous for phrases like “Boo-yah!” and “cool as the other side of the pillow.” Despite becoming one of the most famous names at the network, people who knew him spoke of how gracious, friendly and downto-earth he was.

The messages that filled social media on Sunday, including many from the NFL community (Scott hosted ESPN’s pre- and post-game

Stuart Scott

shows for “Monday Night Football” for many years) reflected the man Scott was.

Scott valiantly battled cancer since he was first diagnosed in late 2007. His courageous fight was documented in many ways, but nothing was better than his own words, when he won the Jimmy V Award for

Windies showing grit...

He displayed his rare ability to meld two distinct forms of the game, to introduce a daring approach borne of T20 cricket into a Test in the balance without the merest hint of ill-judgment. First came an assessment of the field, then a perfectly-timed adjustment of his bottom hand, finally a faultless execution. He fancies he can attack Samuels: it was both forthright and appropriate.

Quite why Samuels was bowling the fourth over after lunch with the Test so keenly poised and the second new ball only 15 overs old was a mystery, even allowing for West Indies’ limited options.

He didn’t bowl another one.

De Villiers welcomed him with a crease-scrubbing reversed sweep for four, rocked back to cut the next ball to the boundary, and polished off the over with another reverse - his third - which scooted away to the fence.

With South Africa still 102 behind at start of play, and a new ball just over 10 overs away, it was a period in which a lack of concentration could hand over the initiative.

Fortunately for West Indies, Samuels’ start to the day three successive desultory full tosses - did not set the tone.

A ball change five overs into the day provided succour. Holder immediately dismissed Amla, finding just enough away movement from a tight line to find the edge.

At the non-striker’s end, de Villiers shook his head, not just at the wicket but at recognition that his job had become harder. Holder, recognising the opportunity, tightened his line and bowled the best spell of the match, finally resembling a third seamer’s worth.

It was a tough entrance for Temba Bavuma, the diminutive kid from Langa, a Cape Town township, playing in only his second Test; the first black African bats-

Perseverance at the 2014 ESPYs and gave an inspiring speech.

Scott is survived by his parents, O. Ray and Jacqueline Scott; siblings Stephen Scott, Synthia Kearney and Susan Scott; his daughters Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15; and girlfriend Kristin Spodobalski.

(Yahoo Sports)

from back page

AB de Villiers celebrates his century

man to play Tests for South Africa. A push through midon to get off the mark was warmly greeted. But Gabriel picked up Bavuma in his second over, the batsman playing on, minded to leave.

When West Indies were not confronted by de Villiers, they fell foul of some mediocre umpiring. Quite how Sulieman Benn maintained a sunny disposition when Simon Harmer was not given out for his own version of the reverse sweep was a mystery.

Harmer swept the leftarm spinner out of the rough and, although umpire Paul Reiffel declared not out, a West Indies review clearly showed the ball deflecting off the glove as it looped up to the wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. The TV umpire, Billy Bowden, was not convinced. West Indies were bemused. Gentle Ben was a TV series in the 1960s involving an orphaned bear, but for a few seconds there seemed to be the chance of a remake.

It fitted a frustrating pattern for Benn as South Africa edged towards supremacy.

Van Zyl’s unconvincing innings ended on 33 when he

fell lbw to Samuels, but he needed two reviews to get that far. A South Africa review spared him when he padded up to Benn and then West Indies failed to overturn a decision when he botched a sweep. Finally, they got him - but even that needed a review.

De Villiers apart, South Africa’s first innings malfunctioned. Vernon Philander was run out without scoring, failing to steal a single to Jason Holder at midwicket; Harmer’s debut innings ended when he fell lbw to Jerome Taylor; and Steyn became the third South Africa batsman to be run out, well short as Leon Johnson hit direct from midoff.

There was much work for West Indies’ batsmen to do to complete a battling day; indeed, a battling Test. When Morne Morkel had Devon Smith caught at the wicket and Kraigg Braithwaite was bowled by Harmer - his first few overs showing good, attacking purpose - it looked bleak for West Indies, but Johnson and Samuels saw out the final 20 overs to leave this Test still full of possibilities.

(Cricinfo)

22

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monday, january 5, 2015

Sports Club: the Lloyd gives Brathwaite, Police one constant in athletics Samuels full marks

West Indies Chief selector Clive Lloyd

C

hief selector Clive Lloyd has praised Kraigg Brathwaite’s maturity in the wake of the opener’s third Test century and said coupled with the presence of the experienced Marlon Samuels, West Indies were now only two middle-order batsmen short of being a quality Test side.

Lloyd, the legendary former captain credited with moulding West Indies into a world-class side of the 1970s and 80s, said the 22-yearold had shown he possessed the mettle for Test cricket.

“I think people will realise now that we do have young players who want to do well in Test cricket and not only thinking of T20,” Lloyd pointed out.

“He (Brathwaite) is very mature for his age, and the innings I have seen him play against Bangladesh, and now here, shows that he’s getting better with eve-

ry game.

“He’s a good thinker, and you can tell from interviews.

His answers are very intelligent. So if we can continue with players of that nature our team is not too far away from being a very good one.”

Samuels, Lloyd said, had also come into his own, and the key was now to find two quality young players to complement the batting.

“He has shown maturity. He’s batted well in onedayers, he’s batted well in Test matches, so I think we’re just trying to form that middle [order],” Lloyd explained.

“I think we need another two batsmen in the middle there, who can sort of fight through situations and give us a total for our bowlers to bowl to. And we’ll keep searching with the youngsters that we have and hope that they can come through.”

Both Brathwaite and Samuels proved their quality in the second Test at Port Elizabeth, stroking highclass centuries in a record 176-run, third-wicket stand to repel South Africa.

Their effort kept West Indies in the contest on the fourth day of the rain-affected encounter, before bad weather returned to force the abandonment of the final day.

“They both did very well.

They were very mature,” Lloyd assessed.

“We had some very tight times when the bowlers were on top, but they fought through it; and it shows we have those skills, and, if we can continue in that vein, we can’t be too far away from building a proper team and a team that can compete with all nations.”

West Indies are down 0-1 in the three-Test series, following a heavy innings and 220-run defeat in the opening Test in Centurion.

The result extended the Caribbean side’s dismal record on South African soil, where they have never won a Test series and lost 10 of 12 matches.

Despite the poor results, Lloyd remained upbeat about the Windies talent pool and the side’s ability to find good players.

“You had (Kenroy) Peters who was home a week ago and he didn’t think he would be playing in a Test match, but he’s here, done extremely well; so we’re standing in good stead at the moment,” Lloyd said. (Jamaica Observer)

The Police Sports Club celebrate one of their many wins

By Treiston Joseph

C

hange is constant and such is the same for track and field in Guyana.

Even as the years roll by the sport either improves in some ways or fall in others.

New Clubs are birthed, old ones fall by the way side… whatever the change is, either contributes to the dynamic of the sport that is still to take its rightful place as a top three sport in Guyana.

However, as change happens, one constant has remained… the Police Sports Club.

Whether critics might want to admit or not, the Police Sports Club has continued to stand its ground as probably Guyana’s most dominant and consistent track and field club, hands down.

The club has seen many rivals over the last two decades… some such as Atoms and Silverfox exist no more, others like the Royal Youth

Movement and Bedford dormant to the point that is seems as though they are no more.

Their most notable rivalries had to be against Atoms and the Royal Youth Movement Sports Club, and as of late both with the Guyana Defence Force and the Running Brave Athletics Club.

Yet, the Police Sports Club still stands, under the watchful eyes of longtime coach Lyndon Wilson and Mark Scott as they continue to produce athletes of a high calibre.

How are they surviving so long when compared to their counterparts?

Well their overflow of talent that enters the Police Force and falls in love with sports adds to the pool of talent that already exist along with the fact that athletes might just want to pair up with the likes of Olympian Winston George or the speedy untapped tal-

ent of Tevin Garraway in hopes of becoming as good as them.

This dynamic allows for the coaches to always have talent to coach and produce.

Not to mention the club is a part of a military type organisation (The Guyana Police Force) that acts on discipline and productivity which will only boost the Police Force when the Inter Service Athletics Championship rolls around each year.

In addition, both Wilson and Scott are known for developing talent, even late bloomers such as George.

Nevertheless, the club will continue to battle for supremacy against the likes of the Guyana Defence Force and the Running Brave Athletics Club.

Whether they win those battles or not, one thing will surely be known, athletics without the Police Sports Club will hardly contain the big feel moments as were the many cases in times past.

Barca beaten by Sociedad D

avid Moyes’s Real Sociedad stopped Barcelona going top of La Liga thanks to an early own goal from Jordi Alba.

Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat at Valencia earlier in the day would have allowed the Catalans to edge ahead in the title race if they had won.

But coach Luis Enrique started with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Dani Alves on the bench following the festive break.

And they were unable to inspire a fightback as Moyes secured a memorable second win as Sociedad manager.

Messi, Neymar and Alves only returned to training last Friday after an extended break in South America during the league’s Christmas shutdown.

Enrique took the gamble of starting without them for a fixture that has proved tricky for Barcelona in the past.

And so it proved again with their winless run at

Real Sociedad celebrate their upset win against Barcelona

Anoeta now extended to six games.

In Moyes’s previous two home La Liga games, former Arsenal striker Carlos Vela had struck in the opening five minutes.

And while there was

to be no repeat for Vela, Sociedad were still ahead after just two minutes as Alba headed a cross from Sergio Canales past his own keeper.

For a team which had already beaten Real Madrid

and defending champions Atletico Madrid in San Sebastian this season, it was the perfect start.

Sociedad have been difficult to beat under Moyes, with just two losses in their previous seven

matches since the former Manchester United and Everton boss took over in November, and they clung tenaciously to their lead.

They were helped by an insipid first-half performance from Barcelona, who

rarely threatened an equaliser.

Sociedad went closest to a second goal when Canales turned sharply and tested former Socieded keeper Claudio Bravo at his near post.

Not surprisingly, Enrique sent on Messi at the start of the second half and waited just a further 12 minutes to introduce Neymar to try and spark an improvement.

Barcelona increasingly dominated possession and began to camp around the Sociedad penalty area.

But with a wall of blue and white shirts to pass, they could not turn their pressure into any meaningful chances.

Sociedad defended superbly with goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli making his one real save four minutes from time when dashing out to save at the feet of Luis Suarez.

Barcelona’s next La Liga game is against champions Atletico Madrid next Sunday. (BBC Sport)

monDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015

guyanatimesGY.com

23

Banks DIH Classic Basketball Tournament...

Richardson Semifinal action on today waiting on T WI batsmen to show fight he Banks DIH Classic Basketball Tournament returns to the court this afternoon with semifinal action when Smythfield Rockers take on Black Sharks of Fyrish at the Vrymens Erven Court in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

The Black Sharks will have to bring their best game

to get past the Rockers as they have been beaten by Canje Knights already in the competition.

The Rockers on the other hand have played unbeaten and will be counting on Michael Bowen, Jamal Felix, and Neil Wills.

Black Sharks will be counting on Royston

Crandon, Saydren Fortune, and Rael Franklyn to help secure a ticket to the final.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Canje Knights will take on New Amsterdam Warriors in the second semifinal at the same venue.

The two teams had initially matched skills in a semifinal playoff when

rain interrupted play with four minutes remaining on the clock. At that time, the Knights were leading the basketball game.

The tournament is organised by Vibert “Town Man” Garrett and has both cash prizes and trophies at stake.

The final is billed for January 11. (Andrew Carmichael)

GTTA to serve off 2015 year on January 11 T

he Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) will serve off their 2015 year on January 11 with a senior open table tennis tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 10:00h.

The tournament will

I

Richie Richardson

f West Indies do not believe they can square the series against South Africa, they may as well head back to the airport as far as their manager Richie Richardson is concerned.

Although they have suffered sizable collapses in the series so far - 6 for 39 and 7 for 44 in Centurion, 5 for 15 in Port Elizabeth, and 4 for 30 in the first innings here - Richardson remains confident that if West Indies push on, they could cause a massive upset.

“You can’t change the past, and you can’t compete thinking about the negatives. If we are going to think like that, we may as well pack up and go home tonight,” Richardson said.

“It’s important for two of our batsmen to get in and get centuries. South Africa are going to have to bat last on this wicket.”

Although the Newlands surface remains suitable for batting, it is getting more difficult and is known to deteriorate on the final two days of a Test. “If you get in, it gets a bit easier. There are some cracks, a couple keep low and the spinner is in the game. There is more than enough for bowlers to work with,” AB de Villiers said, as a positive for his own attack, who will be looking to limit the lead tomorrow.

Once it starts to inch towards 200 and if it tips over that, de Villiers predicts things could get tricky for the hosts. “Anything over 200 would be chaseable but tough,” he said.

With West Indies four runs behind, with eight wickets in hand and two days left to play, recent form of the two teams aside, it would appear the match is shaping up to be much more competitive than many thought it would be and reflects well on West Indies.

“We’ve shown quite a bit of improvement from the first Test match and that’s what

we asked for,” Richardson said. “We’ve seen the team playing better and better.

We’ve got to learn to dig in as early as possible. We had a bad start but we’re happy with the progress we’ve made.”

Throughout the series their batsmen have got starts and as it has developed they have managed start building on them. This is their final opportunity to show that they can convert something small into something substantial, and Richardson hopes they will not squander that chance.

“We have to work on turning those 40s and 50s into big hundreds. A lot of the players are young and inexperienced but they have the potential,” he said. “We have coaches, mentors, analysts, we collect data, we assess ourselves, we have a lot of discussion but at the end of the day, it’s up to the individual to go out there and make the decision. To say: ‘I’m going to score 150, I’m going to bat four hours.’ When you look at our batsmen, we’ve scored faster than the South Africans. We have class players, we just have to be a bit more productive.”

In the two men at the crease - Leon Johnson and Marlon Samuels - West Indies have a mix of determination and defiance, and in the ones to come, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin, they have the experience they want. But they will be up against a South African attack that does not need much prompting to turn it on, although de Villiers gave them - one, in particular - a nudge, just in case.

“We know the game will speed up a bit now. We’re hoping we can start really well tomorrow,” de Villiers said. “Simon Harmer will be really important for us. We’ll be looking to him not only to do a holding job but also as a strike bowler.” (Cricinfo)

once again be sponsored by Jonathan Sankar and Orin Hickerson in an effort to start the developmental process earlier than usual.

All players are invited to participate in the tournament as the GTTA will be coordinating the fixtures as

well as all technical aspects of the tournament.

Some of the top players expected to participate in the tournament are Kyle Edghill, Elishaba Johnson, Shemar Britton, Jamaal Duff, Bryton Murray (Berbice), Joel Alleyne, Paul Meusa,

Jonathan Sankar, Warren Hacksaw, Orin Hickerson, Brad and Brandon Belle (Bartica), Remy Taitt, Devon Richmond, Xenophon Goliah, Gibran Sarfaraz (Berbice) Chelsea Edghill, Tiffani Barton and Angeli Persaud (Berbice).

Bravo’s Renegades fall for 57 against Stars T he Melbourne Stars registered their first win of the Big Bash League 2014-15 in style, routing the Melbourne Renegades for 57 to win by 112 runs yesterday in Australia. The win lifted the Stars from the bottom of the points table to sixth place and pushed the Renegades to the last spot.

Michael Beer, Jackson Bird and John Hastings struck within the first five overs to leave the Renegades chase of 170 on shaky ground at 5 for 16—a position from which they never recovered. Tom Cooper was the only Renegades batsman to push his score up to double figures, scoring 10, the same as the number of the extras conceded by Stars.

Each of the six Stars bowlers picked at least one wicket, and Beer was the

best among them with returns of 2 for 14 in four overs.

The Stars top order of Cameron White, Luke Wright and Kevin Pietersen pitched in with brisk partnerships after being put in to bat, although none of them went on to make a big score.

The Renegades pulled back with quick wickets, as the Stars slumped from 112 for 2 to 123 for 5 within two overs, but Tom Triffitt’s big hits helped the side accumulate 50 runs in the last five overs to reach a strong 6 for 169. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCORES

Melbourne Stars 6 for 169 (Wright 39, Pietersen 25, Bravo 3-22) beat Melbourne Renegades 57 (Beer 2-14, Bird 2-12, Boland 2-10) by 112 runs

Dwayne Bravo

Guyana Jaguars commence...

Crandon explained that the all-round ability of the players will be their strength.

“We will be without the services of some senior players like Narsingh Deonarine, Leon Johnson, Assad Fudadin, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul; nevertheless, this is an opportunity for other players to showcase their talent,” he posited out.

“It is important that players know and execute their roles and be aware of match situations,” he declared.

Meanwhile, as part of the West Indies Under-19s long-term build-up for the next International Cricket

Council (ICC) Under-19 World Cup in 2016, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has included the Under-19 team as part of the eight-team tournament.

The Combined Campuses & Colleges will also compete.

The Under-19s have been drawn in Group B next to the Jamaica franchise, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and hosts Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, while the composite university side has been drawn in Group A along with reigning champions Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars and Windward Islands Volcanoes.

The preliminary competition will be played in a

Esaun Crandon

non-elimination format with each side playing the others in their group once.

Two matches will be contested each day at either the Queen’s Park Oval, the T&T

from back page

Cricket Board’s National Cricket Centre (NCC) in the central Trinidadian community of Couva or Shaw Park in Scarborough, the capital of Tobago.

The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals at the Oval, where the group winners play the runners-up from the opposite group in a oneoff match for a place in the Grand Final at the same venue.

The Guyana Jaguars will face the Volcanoes in their opening game on January 15, before opposing Barbados Pride on January 17 and CCC on January 19.

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

monday, january 5, 2015

Windies showing grit despite De Villiers' hundred A

B de Villiers produced the outstanding innings that the Cape Town Test craved, but even his redoubtable efforts have yet to shake off West Indies.

Facing a first-innings deficit of 92 runs at tea on the third day, they battled doggedly to clip that deficit to four runs by the close of the day. Eight wickets still stand. It has been a respectable effort.

If one leading bookmaker regarded West Indies as 12-1 outsiders at change of innings, it owed as much to the perceived imbalance between these two sides as the state of the game. Those odds had tightened markedly by the close. If this dry, cracked surface deteriorates at the right time for West Indies, they are still in this game. As yet, despite occasional uneven bounce and some slow turn, it is biding its time.

De Villiers’ 148, his 21st Test hundred, was a gem. He was last out, finally silenced when he tried to deposit Marlon Samuels into the crowd and Shannon Gabriel

De Villiers achieved that mood in one memorable over against Samuels, moving from 87 to 103 as he took 16 off the over, 10 of them with reverse sweeps so authorita-

tive that had they been witnessed for the first time the shot would have seemed as politic as the straightest of forward defensives. turn to page 21

SCOREBOARD

West Indies celebrate taking a wicket

caught him, second attempt, at long-on. He had become the first batsman to make good his start after eight had fallen between 42 and 68, most because of a lapse in concentration. But West Indies had hung in the match by removing the last five wickets for 37

runs in 14 overs.

De Villiers’ progression to his century was another career highlight. In six balls, he introduced the reverse sweep, once and for all, into polite society: at least when he accompanies it anyway.

Perhaps it takes the No. 1

ranked Test batsman in the world to play the shot with no sense of risk when a century is on his mind, a firstinnings lead is beckoning and a Test is in the balance on a testing surface. Or perhaps it was all done by computer graphics.

South Africa 1st innings AN Petersen run out (Blackwood) 42 D Elgar lbw b Holder 8 F du Plessis st †Ramdin b Benn 68 HM Amla* c †Ramdin b Holder 63 AB de Villiers† c Gabriel b Samuels 148 T Bavuma b Gabriel 15 S van Zyl lbw b Samuels 33 VD Philander run out (Holder/Benn) 0 SR Harmer lbw b Taylor 10 DW Steyn run out (Johnson) 0 M Morkel not out 4 Extras: (lb 7, w 13, nb 10) 30 Total: (all out; 122.4 overs; 521 mins) 421 Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Elgar, 11.5 ov), 2-104 (Petersen, 27.1 ov), 3-157 (du Plessis, 49.1 ov), 4-254 (Amla, 75.1 ov), 5-288 (Bavuma, 86.5 ov), 6-384 (van Zyl, 108.2 ov), 7-385 (Philander,

109.4 ov), 8-404 (Harmer, 119.5 ov), 9-408 (Steyn, 120.4 ov), 10-421 (de Villiers, 122.4 ov) Bowling: JE Taylor 20-2-80-1, ST Gabriel 17-2-64-1, JO Holder 24-4-87-2, MN Samuels 16.4-068-2, SJ Benn 45-9-115-1 West Indies 2nd innings KC Brathwaite b Harmer 16 DS Smith c †de Villiers b Morkel

7 LR Johnson not out 37 MN Samuels not out 26 Extras: (lb 2) 2 Total: (2 wickets; 34 overs) 88 To bat:S Chanderpaul, D Ramdin*†, J Blackwood, JO Holder, JE Taylor, SJ Benn, ST Gabriel Fall of wickets 1-23 (Smith, 10.6 ov), 2-27 (Brathwaite, 13.5 ov) Bowling: DW Steyn 10-231-0, VD Philander 9-317-0, M Morkel 6-3-101, SR Harmer 9-4-28-1

Guyana Jaguars commence 2nd phase of Super50 preparation – Coach pleased with players’ fitness

Guyana Jaguars’ preliminary squad during Saturday’s fitness tests

By Rajiv Bisnauth

H

ead Coach of the Guyana Jaguars, Esaun Crandon is impressed with his squad’s fitness level as they prepare for the NAGICO Super50 tournament later this month.

The tournament is being held from January 15 to 24, with the 25th being an alternate day should rain prevent the final

from being played.

Addressing reporters on Saturday at the conclusion of the first day of the second phase of preparation at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, Crandon said several players were in much better shape, judging from the first phase.

The players, The Jaguars minus Barbados’s Raymond Reifer who went back home for the holiday season, under the guid-

ance of Crandon, Assistant Coach/Manager Rayon Griffith, Michael Hyles Franco, Clive Grimmond, and Territorial Development Officer and former West Indies fast bowler Colin Stuart undertook the beep test, runner three, 10-metre get-up and sprint and 40-metre sprint which was checked at four stations.

The sessions were interrupted by rain.

“Looking at the results it’s evident that there is an improvement, we want to see the

players maintain a certain level of fitness,” Crandon added.

The Head Coach is optimistic of Guyana’s chances in the tournament.

“Looking at the squad, we have some very talented players and it will be very important how we use them. It is vital that we get off to a good start to build on, but it is not going to be an easy task; however, we are capable enough,” he stated.

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